LIVESTOCK-Live cattle futures up on strong beef prices; hogs end mixed

By Julie Ingwersen

CHICAGO, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures rose on Thursday on strong wholesale beef prices and bullish chart signals, traders said.

February live cattle LCG25 settled up 2.725 cents at 190.100 cents per pound, breaking through chart resistance at the contract's 20-day moving average for the first time in a week.

CME January feeder cattle futures FCF25 finished up 3.450 cents at 259.300 cents per pound and March feeders FCH25 jumped 4.500 cents to end at 259.500 cents a pound.

Firm beef prices set the tone, along with stabilizing U.S. equity markets that raised optimism about consumer demand for pricey cuts of beef. The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI closed fractionally higher, stretching its winning streak to five sessions despite light post-Christmas trading volumes. .N

The U.S. Department of Agriculture priced choice cuts of boxed beef on Thursday afternoon at $320.39 per hundredweight (cwt), up $4.41 from its last report on Tuesday and close to a two-month high set last week. Select cuts rose to $288.77 per cwt, up $2.02.

The government reported Thursday's slaughter at 119,000 head of cattle, down from 121,000 a week ago and 124,756 head a year ago, slowed by this week's Christmas holiday and negative profit margins for beef packers. LIV/H

CME lean hog futures closed narrowly mixed, with benchmark February futures LHG25 settling down 0.200 cent at 84.200 cents per pound while April hogs LHJ25 ended 0.075 cent higher at 89.250 cents.

The USDA was scheduled to release its weekly export sales report on Friday, a day later than normal due to this week's federal holiday.

(Reporting by Julie Ingwersen)

((Julie.ingwersen@thomsonreuters.com; 1-313-484-5283; Reuters Messaging: julie.ingwersen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))