Last Updated on 10 February, 2024 by Trading System
Lean Hogs Futures are a type of futures contract that track the price of live hogs in the US. These contracts are traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and are used by producers, processors, and other market participants to hedge their positions in the hog market. By buying or selling Lean Hogs Futures, investors can protect themselves against price fluctuations in the live hogs market, or make speculative bets on the direction of the prices. The contracts are available in monthly expirations, with the underlying asset being 40,000 pounds of live hogs.
Lean Hogs Futures is a type of futures contract that is traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). The contract is based on the price of frozen pork bellies, which are used to make bacon. The futures contract is a financial instrument that allows traders to speculate on the future price of lean hogs. The contract is settled in cash and does not involve the physical delivery of any hogs. The contract is available in several different contract sizes, with the most popular being the 40,000-pound contract. By trading Lean Hogs Futures, traders have the opportunity to take advantage of the price movements of the physical pork bellies market. Traders can use this contract to hedge their exposure to the lean hogs market or to speculate on the future price direction.
Many new to trading tend to only look at markets they are familiar with. Most often, that happens to be the index markets and not, for example, lean hogs futures. That’s a pity since there are other markets that offer great opportunities to diversify!
In general, you want to diversify as much as you possibly can so that one market or one strategy isn’t responsible for all your profits. The more markets and strategies you trade, the better prepared you are for market turmoil and black swan events. To be frank, there simply is no reason to stay with one market, when there are so many to choose from!
One great market that is often overlooked, is the lean hogs futures market. It holds many edges that are worth investigating for your trading. However, the subject of this post is another. The lean hogs futures market has experienced great swings lately, and I thought that it might be interesting to understand why!
In many cases, it’s hard to ascribe price action to certain events, but this time there is one reason that seems to have triggered it all.
What Has Happened?
Take a look at this daily chart of the lean hogs futures market:
As you can see, the price has rocketed since the beginning of March, going from slightly below 70$ all the way up to 98$. That’s an increase of over 40%, in just one month! So what’s driving this market?
Well, China, that stands for nearly 50% of the world production of pork meat, has had to make its biggest purchase of US pork meat in nearly two years. The reason is that a massive outbreak of African swine fever has reduced Chinese pork production by as much as 30%, creating a shortfall that needs to be compensated through more imports. China already is a massive buyer of American meat products and consumed nearly half of worldwide pork production in 2018.
The approaching trade deals between China and the U.S could determine the extent of the Chinese increase in meat imports, thus impacting the price of lean hogs. In other words, this is something worth keeping an eye on!
Trading Strategies of Lean Hogs Futures.
1. Spread Trading: Spread trading involves buying one Lean Hogs futures contract and simultaneously selling another Lean Hogs futures contract. This type of trading strategy is used to capitalize on the difference in price between two different Lean Hogs contracts. Traders can buy a deferred contract and sell a near-term contract, or vice versa.
2. Trend Trading: Trend trading is a strategy that seeks to capitalize on the overall direction of the Lean Hogs market. Traders may use technical analysis, fundamental analysis, or a combination of the two to determine the overall direction of the market and then use that information to make trading decisions.
3. Momentum Trading: Momentum trading is a strategy that seeks to capitalize on short-term market moves. Traders may use technical analysis, fundamental analysis, or a combination of the two to identify strong trends in the Lean Hogs market and then take advantage of those trends by entering and exiting trades quickly.
4. Contrarian Trading: Contrarian trading is a strategy that seeks to capitalize on short-term market moves in the opposite direction of the overall trend. This type of trading involves taking positions that are contrary to the prevailing trend in the market, such as buying when the market is in a downtrend.
1. Use Technical Analysis: Technical analysis is a great way to analyze the lean hogs futures market, as it provides a good understanding of the market’s current trend, and potential entry and exit points. Traders can use a variety of strategies to identify potential trades, such as trendlines, support and resistance levels, chart patterns, and moving averages.
2. Utilize News and Reports: Following news and reports about the lean hogs futures market is essential for successful trading. Knowing which reports and news to pay attention to can help traders identify potential trading opportunities and make informed decisions. Reports from the USDA, the World Agricultural Outlook Board, and other organizations can provide valuable information about current market conditions and the potential for price fluctuations.
3. Use Contrarian Strategies: Contrarian strategies involve taking a position that is opposite of the current trend. This type of trading can be beneficial for traders who are looking to capitalize on short-term price swings. For example, if the market is trending upwards, a trader could enter a short position, hoping to make a profit as the market falls.
4. Utilize Spread Trading: Spread trading involves buying and selling the same or similar contracts at different prices. By doing this, traders can take advantage of the price differential between the two contracts, while at the same time, limiting their risk. Spread trading can be a great way to diversify a portfolio and reduce overall risk.
5. Utilize Options Strategies: Options strategies are another way to trade the lean hogs futures market. Options strategies can provide traders with the opportunity to leverage their capital and benefit from price movements in either direction. When using options strategies, it is important to understand the risks involved, as well as how to effectively manage them.
Profiting From Lean Hogs Rally
All major price movements of any market offer great opportunities to make substantial profits or losses. If you have a robust strategy, you might end up on the winning side and make some gains. Here is one strategy of mine that has been very successful in the recent lean hogs rally:
As you see, lean hogs futures managed to catch a significant extent of the last month’s swings. First, it followed the market all the way up to the top, exited the market, and managed to reenter right when it was about to turn up again. In the picture below you can see how the last two trades made a significant mark on the equity curve.
Of course, this strategy was lucky and managed to be on the right side of the market. That’s not always the case. Nonetheless, having a good strategy increases your odds of making money from volatility explosions like this one!
Seasonality of Lean Hogs Futures
The seasonal pattern of Lean Hogs Futures is an important factor for commodity traders to consider when making investment decisions. Seasonal patterns in Lean Hogs Futures can be seen in the price movements of the contract over the course of the year. Generally, prices tend to rise from March to June, peak in July, and then decline from August to October. Prices tend to remain stable from October through February. Following is a breakdown of the seasonal pattern of Lean Hogs Futures by month:
March: Prices tend to increase as the demand for hogs increases.
April: Prices continue to rise as demand remains strong.
May: Prices usually peak during this month as demand reaches its highest point of the year.
June: Prices usually fall as demand begins to decrease.
July: Prices reach their lowest point of the year during this month as demand has decreased significantly.
August: Prices start to recover as demand begins to rise again.
September: Prices usually increase as demand continues to increase.
October: Prices usually reach their peak for the year during this month as demand is at its highest.
November: Prices tend to decrease as demand begins to decline.
December: Prices reach their lowest point
Interesting statistics about Lean Hogs Futures.
1. In 2020, the total volume of Lean Hog Futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) was 4,993,813 contracts.
2. The average daily volume of Lean Hog Futures traded in 2020 was 19,540 contracts.
3. The open interest in Lean Hog Futures as of March 2021 is 547,722 contracts.
4. The highest open interest in Lean Hog Futures was recorded in August 2020, when it hit 693,985 contracts.
5. The average daily trading range of Lean Hog Futures in 2020 was $0.4875.
6. The most active month for Lean Hog Futures in 2020 was April, with 1,064,431 contracts traded.
7. The top five most active traders of Lean Hog Futures as of March 2021 are: ADM Investor Services, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Cargill and CHS Inc.
8. The average open interest for the front months of Lean Hog Futures was 576,963 contracts as of March 2021.
9. The largest single-day volume of Lean Hog Futures traded in 2020 was on April 2nd, when it hit 77,819 contracts.
10. The average daily trading volume for Lean Hog Futures in 2020 was 19,540 contracts.
11. The highest daily trading volume for Lean Hog Futures in 2020 was 77,819 contracts, recorded on April 2nd.
12. The total notional value traded in Lean Hog Futures in 2020 was $7.47 billion.
FAQ
Q1. What are lean hog futures?
A1. Lean hog futures are contracts that allow producers, processors and traders to hedge against the risk of price swings in the lean hog market. The contracts are based on the CME Lean Hog Index, which is an average of pork cutout values from the USDA’s mandatory price reporting system.
Q2. What does the CME Lean Hog Index measure?
A2. The CME Lean Hog Index is an average of pork cutout values from the USDA’s mandatory price reporting system. It is used to measure the average price of pork cuts, including loins, hams, bellies, ribs, and other cuts.
Q3. Who trades lean hog futures?
A3. Lean hog futures are typically traded by producers, processors, and traders of pork products.
Q4. What are the contract specifications for lean hog futures?
A4. The contract specifications for lean hog futures are as follows:
Contract Size: 40,000 lbs.
Tick Size: 0.00025 cents per pound ($10.00 per contract)
Price Quote: Cents per pound
Trading Hours: 9:05 am – 1:00 pm (CT)
Q5. What are the key drivers of lean hog futures prices?
A5. Key drivers of lean hog futures prices include weather conditions, consumer demand, and production costs.
Q6. What is the delivery process for lean hog futures?
A6. Delivery of lean hog futures is not available. All trades are settled in cash.
Q7. What are the risks associated with trading lean hog futures?
A7. Risks associated with trading lean hog futures include market volatility, changes in consumer demand, and potential losses due to price movements.
Q8. What is the best way to manage risk when trading lean hog futures?
A8. The best way to manage risk when trading lean hog futures is to use risk management tools such as stop-loss orders and limit orders.
Q9. What is the margin required to trade lean hog futures?
A9. The margin required to trade lean hog futures is typically between 5 and 10 percent of the contract value.
Q10. How can I learn more about trading lean hog futures?
A10. To learn more about trading lean hog futures, traders can access educational resources such as online courses, webinars, and seminars.
Final Words
There are many markets that hold nice opportunities for traders to make money, and the lean hogs futures market is one of them. Many new traders focus too much on their favorite markets and subsequently miss many chances to diversify and achieve higher returns with lower risk. Don’t be one of them! Trade as many markets as you can, and you will most likely achieve better results! Diversification is the closest we can ever come to “the holy grail” in trading!
Here is our archive with articles about other tradeable futures markets.