February lean hog futures have reached a contract high and are expected to continue to rise slightly near-term, despite falling cash fundamentals. The latest CME lean hog index is down, extending a three-week decline. The USDA's Cold Storage report shows a decrease in beef and pork inventories from the previous month and the five-year average. Brazil is close to finalizing protocols for exporting pork offal and fish to China, which could potentially impact U.S. pork exports. January soybean meal futures are also expected to remain steady, and March corn futures are sideways with a range of $4.23 1/4 to $4.40.