U.S. cattle prices jumped to a record Friday, setting up a fresh hit of sticker shock for consumers at the grocer's meat counter.
Meatpackers this past week paid the highest cash prices on record for live, slaughter-ready cattle in the major producing states of Kansas, Nebraska and Texas. That led traders to bid up futures prices, which already had been rising as retailers increased beef purchases for the holidays and the meat industry grappled with tight cattle supplies after prolonged drought in parts of the U.S. Great Plains.
Analysts said the higher cattle prices likely will be passed along to U.S. consumers in the next few months. That would boost fresh-beef prices at retail that surged to a record $5.014 a pound in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 26% increase over five years ago.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
There Is No Price Inflation If You Don't Eat...
But if you do, things are going to be more expensive for you in 2014. WSJ reports:
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