Nervous bulls sold into upswings as they settled accounts before the weekend and ahead of the federal government's monthly cattle-on-feed numbers, due out Friday at 3 p.m. EDT.

Feeder cattle posted a mostly firm settlement, while hogs and bellies finished in the red.

Live cattle rose at the start due to short covering after Thursday's losses and reports that dressed cattle on Thursday sold in line with last week's trade.

Board-buying subsided at times after June and August periodically probed technical resistance barriers. Purchases resumed after chart thresholds were crossed aided by slightly higher midday boxed beef quotes and word that a few live basis cattle may have fetched upwards of $98 per hundredweight in Nebraska on Friday.

Source: FXSTREET