DTN Closing Livestock Comment 12/08 16:06
   Pork Cutouts Are Feeling the Christmas Spirit

   Heading into Thursday's trade, the livestock complex is hopeful for a
supportive export report so that the market has something to boost its morale.

ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

   GENERAL COMMENTS:

   It was a lousy day for the livestock contracts as none closed higher and
demand wasn't seen in the cash market. The only exciting news was that the pork
cutouts saw some late holiday buying, which shot ham prices higher. Hog prices
closed lower on the National Direct Afternoon Hog Report, down $4.16 with a
weighted average of $57.76 on 4,955 head. March corn is up 1 1/4 cents per
bushel and January soybean meal is up $7.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average
is up 35.32 points and NASDAQ is up 100.07 points.