CATTLEUSA DRIVE - Wednesday, December 25th

DAILY MARKET SUMMARY

WEATHER 20/20 REPORT

AGRICULTURE NEWS

FINANCE NEWS

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Christmas trees, grown primarily on farms, are an agricultural product beneficial to the environment and society. Tree farming supports oxygen production, carbon dioxide reduction, and wildlife habitats. Christmas trees are biodegradable and easily recycled. Early tree farming emerged in poor soils, while modern farms span 1 million U.S. acres. Despite early conservation concerns, sustainable practices have made tree harvesting environmentally friendly. read more here

Agriculture plays a vital role in holiday traditions, from growing 25-30 million real Christmas trees annually to providing the food, drinks, and materials that make celebrations special. Real trees are renewable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly, with iconic examples like the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. Agriculture also supports reindeer farming, a unique part of Christmas lore. Holiday meals, once limited in variety, now showcase a wide range of affordable options thanks to modern farming. Additionally, agriculture provides materials for gifts, clothing, and wrapping paper. This season, remember to appreciate the farmers who make the holidays possible. read more here

Reed Marcum, inspired at age 11 to help his community, started a toy drive in 2016 that has since grown into the annual J. Michael Miller Toy Drive. With the support of volunteers and local businesses, the drive has distributed over 64,000 toys, including 13,000 this year alone. Now held at the McAlester Expo Center, the event draws families from multiple states, demonstrating the impact of Reed’s year-round dedication to giving. read more here

_{Tuesday, December 24}

Wall Street's main indexes closed higher on Christmas Eve, supported by gains in megacap and growth stocks during the start of the "Santa Claus rally" period. The Dow Jones, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all advanced, with the Dow marking its fourth consecutive gain after a record-long losing streak earlier this month. Technology and consumer discretionary stocks, led by Tesla, saw notable gains. Chipmakers like Broadcom and Nvidia also performed well, despite elevated U.S. Treasury yields. Analysts remain optimistic about market strength heading into 2025, driven by technology advancements and solid economic conditions. read more here

Cattle feedlot margins increased to $202.33 per head, while beef packers faced growing losses of $133 per head, favoring feeders by $335. Cash cattle averaged $194.99 per cwt., with beef cutout prices up $2 to $310.40 per cwt. Feed costs rose to $453.07 per head, and finishing costs increased to $2,771 per head, up from last year. Hog producers saw positive margins of $27.35 per head, while pork packers earned $22.11 per head, with capacity utilization higher for both cattle and hog operations. read more here

Cocoa outperformed all other assets in 2024, with prices soaring 185% due to supply shortages caused by record-high ocean temperatures and dry winds. Demand for chocolate remains strong and inelastic, supporting further price increases. Other soft commodities, like coffee (up 70%) and orange juice concentrate, also saw significant gains due to adverse weather and crop diseases. read more here