THE PROTEIN PULSE — DRIVE TIME

Closing Bell Friday | October 16th, 2026

HOST: Protein Pulse Drive Time. Closing Bell Friday, October 16th. From The Sparks Group.

SHAWN: Friday is when the market starts collecting on Monday's promises. Everybody arrives with an opinion. The cattleman knows what his animals are worth. The packer knows what they cost. The salesman knows what he needs for the beef, and the customer knows what he's willing to pay. Two people can look at the same load of meat and see two entirely different markets. By Friday, I don't care who sounded smartest on Monday. I want to know who recognized what was changing while there was still time to act. The fellow who saw it coming usually doesn't need nearly as many words.

HOST: December live cattle settled at two twenty-seven twenty-five, up two twelve. Choice fell two fifty-two to three seventy-three ninety-eight. Select lost five eighty-five to three fifty-two sixty-two. Imported frozen nineties were assessed at three thirteen C-I-F East Coast. Domestic fresh eighty-fives averaged three sixteen. Different product. Not a direct comparison. Pork cutout lost one ninety to seventy-seven fifty-five. Ribs fell thirteen eighty-nine. Hog base rose two fifty-six to seventy-one seventy.

SHAWN: China is showing up with chicken at somebody else's table. Buyers with qualified international suppliers should be asking for fresh offers. December corn settled at four seventy-eight. Meal at three fifty-nine eighty. Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel futures fell eight cents to four eighty-five. A supplier doesn't have to be wrong about its costs for a buyer to be right about the price. Stay disciplined.

HOST: Protein Pulse Drive Time. Shawn Sparks, The Sparks Group.

SHAWN: Stay disciplined.