Lean hog futures posted gains on Thursday, with contracts up $1.67 to $1.85 in the nearbys. USDA’s national average base hog negotiated price was reported at $94.79 on Thursday afternoon, up $1.18 from the week prior. The CME Lean Hog Index was up 46 cents on May 13, at $90.77.

Pork export bookings totaled 24,617 MT in the week ending on May 8, back up from the week prior. Mexico was the top buyer of 10,600 MT, with 3,500 MT sold to Japan.  Exports were tallied at 26,488 MT, a 3-week high. Of that total, 12,000 MT was headed to Mexico, with 4,100 MT to Japan.

USDA’s FOB plant pork cutout value was up $2.58 in the Thursday PM report, at $99.72. The picnic primal was the only reported lower, with the belly leading the charge, up $7.66. Federally inspected hog slaughter estimated by the USDA for Thursday at 481,000 head, with the weekly total at 1.914 million head. That was down 8,000 head from the previous week but up 5,272 from the same week last year.

Jun 25 Hogs  closed at $100.700, up $1.850,

Jul 25 Hogs  closed at $104.125, up $1.675

Aug 25 Hogs  closed at $103.350, up $1.700,