Meat market read, Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Flank steak at 1036¢/lb is the priciest thing on the board right now, up 39¢/lb on the session, but it's mid-range inside its three-week band so that's just noise. The more honest story is that beef loads ran thin again, Choice and Select both gave back at last close, and the lean complex isn't offering relief anywhere easy. 81% ground beef is the one soft spot, down 9¢/lb on the week, but that's about it on the grind side. Pork carcass ticked up on heavy loads, which makes the beef divergence look worse, not better. Rounds are the quiet corner worth knowing: weakening export pull is freeing up domestic supply there, and inside skirt is off 31¢/lb on the month with another 35¢/lb of seasonal headwind ahead. The cheap plate is real, it's just not done moving.

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