TOP STORIES

News on Shutdown Not Promising for Grains -- Market Talk

09:15 ET - A lack of progress in the government shutdown standoff between President Trump and House Democrats has grain markets worried that they will be operating without important USDA for an extended period of time. "There are still no signs that the US government will be funded in the near or even medium term," says AgResource. "The two sides seem to be getting farther apart." The shutdown is now on its 27th day, the longest shutdown in US history. During that time, the grains market has not had access to key USDA data including weekly export sales, confirmations of purchases by foreign nations, and the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, among other things. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com; @kirkmaltais)

Dean Foods Names Jeff Dawson SVP, Chief Accounting Officer

Dean Foods Company (DF) on Thursday announced Jeff Dawson was named as senior vice president, chief accounting officer, effective Jan. 28.

Mr. Dawson succeeds Scott Vopni, who left Dean Foods to pursue other opportunities, the company said.

STORIES OF INTEREST

Walmart Expands Grocery Delivery Service Providers >WMT

Walmart Inc. (WMT) said Thursday it added four delivery companies to expand the retailer's online grocery delivery.

The companies, Point Pickup, Skipcart, AxleHire and Roadie, will work on Walmart's online grocery delivery in metro areas in Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Ohio. Further expansion is planned in the coming weeks, Walmart said.

The company said its grocery delivery is available in more than 800 stores, and another 800 are being added this year.

Shares were up 0.3% to $96.60 Thursday afternoon.

AB Foods Revenue Rose; Primark Profit Ahead Despite Like-for-Like Sales Drop

Associated British Foods PLC (ABF.LN) said Thursday that sales rose slightly in the first 16 weeks of its fiscal year, with a mixed performance from budget fashion chain Primark.

The U.K. food processing-and-retail company said revenue for the period to Jan. 5 rose 2% from the prior year at constant currency. At actual exchange rates, sales rose 1%.

FUTURES MARKETS

Hog Futures Perk Up, Cattle Stays Down -- Market Talk

14:33 ET - February lean hog futures finished trading up 1.3% at 60.850 cents per pound, after starting the day relatively flat. Mexico is reportedly expressing renewed interest in US hams, which have grown cheaper. Meanwhile, live cattle futures closed down 0.7% to $1.2690 per pound, with traders cashing in on the positive uptrend seen in cattle through the past week. "Today's weak performance in futures seems to be throwing a wet blanket on the bullish cash expectations," says Dennis Smith of Archer Financial. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com, @kirkmaltais)

CASH MARKETS

 
Estimated U.S. Pork Packer Margin Index - Jan 17 
 
All figures are on a per-head basis. 
 
Date     Standard Margin       Estimated margin 
         Operating Index         at vertically - 
                             integrated operations 
 
Jan 17       +$ 30.06            +$ 14.78 
Jan 16       +$ 29.93            +$ 14.09 
Jan 15       +$ 30.92            +$ 14.63 
 
* Based on Iowa State University's latest estimated cost of production. 
A positive number indicates a processing margin above the cost of production of the animals. 
 
Beef-O-Meter 
This report compares the USDA's latest beef carcass composite 
values as a percentage of their respective year-ago prices. 
 
                                 Beef 
          For Today             Choice  103.5 
      (Percent of Year-Ago)     Select  104.0 
 
USDA Boxed Beef, Pork Reports

Wholesale choice-grade beef prices Thursday rose 57 cents per hundred pounds, to $212.50, according to the USDA. Select-grade prices rose 70 cents per hundred pounds, to $207.64. The total load count was 129. Wholesale pork prices rose 32 cents, to $68.61 a hundred pounds, based on Omaha, Neb., price quotes.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 17, 2019 17:33 ET (22:33 GMT)

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