DTN Closing Livestock Comment 12/18 15:27
   Cattle Close Lower While Hogs Inch Higher

   Some light trade developed in the North at $358, which is $4.00 higher than
last week's weighted average.

ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

GENERAL COMMENTS:

   The livestock complex closed mixed, with the lean hog contracts closing a
touch stronger, while the cattle contracts fell lower. The biggest news of the
day, however, was the fact that some cash cattle trade developed in the North
at $358, which is $4.00 higher than last week's weighted average. March corn is
up 4 cents per bushel and January soybean meal is up $0.20. The Dow Jones
Industrial Average is up 65.88 points and the NASDAQ is up 313.04 points.