Hogs, Bellies Soar, Soybeans Fall As Livestock Disease Fears Mount.(B)(FUTURES)

By Reuters

Grain prices fell and pork prices soared on Wednesday as agricultural markets reacted to growing global fears about foot-and-mouth disease in livestock and to disruptions to international trade.

F U T U R E S

Adding to selling pressure in many commodities markets was the fresh downturn in Wall Street stock prices, where losses squeezed the finances of speculators and forced an exit from other markets. Gold and oil prices also closed

lower.

At the Chicago Board of Trade, prices of the key livestock feed soybean meal keyed the weakness in grains. Reports of fresh foot-and-mouth cases in France and Argentina this week fed …