DTN Closing Livestock Comments         05/17 15:59
   Livestock Futures Close Week With Sharp Losses

   The cattle complex closed significantly lower, pressured by long
liquidation, technical selling and beef demand worries. Lean hog contracts
settled mostly lower with triple-digit losses suffered in nearby June and July.

By John Harrington
DTN Livestock Analyst



GENERAL COMMENTS:

   From Friday to Friday, livestock futures scored the following changes: June
LC, off 1.05; Aug LC, off 2.22; May FC, off 1.47; Aug FC, off 3.25; June LH, up
1.02; July LH, up .07. Moderate cattle trade developed in Kansas and throughout
the North. Live business in Kansas was mostly $125 to $125.50, .50 to $1 lower
than last week. Most dressed business in the North was marked at $201 to $202,
$1 to $2 lower than last week's weighted average basis Nebraska. According to
the closing report, the Iowa hog base closed $0.80 lower compared with the
Prior Day settlement ($79.00-$92.00, weighted average $89.43). Corn futures
closed mixed, up 11 1/4 and 2 1/4 in July and September, respectively; down 4
1/4 to 4 1/2 in the rest of the contracts.