CME live cattle futures reached a nearly 8.5-year high as front-month contracts experienced a firm close, driven by tight supplies anticipating strong cash prices in the upcoming months. Hog futures showed mixed results. The front-month live cattle contract's final settlement price was the highest since December 2014. Wholesale boxed beef prices remained steady to firm, with Choice cuts increasing by 61 cents from the previous day. Feeder cattle futures also saw a slight increase, reaching their highest since November 2015, while lean hogs ended slightly up.