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Pork bellies settled higher for the fourth straight session, with the May contract gaining .95 cents higher at 73.050 cents a pound. Stronger cash prices and speculation that the falling U.S. dollar will spark additional overseas demand added to the bullish sentiment.

The USDA's mid-day boxed-beef wire today reported choice cuts gained .09 cents a pound and select items fell .09 cents.

April lean hogs settled .37 cents higher at 58.52 cents a pound, April live cattle settled .02 cents lower at 87.87 cents a pound, and April feeder cattle settled .40 cents higher at 98.60 cents.

Metals

Gold closed higher for the fourth straight session, with the June contract settling $13.60 higher at $926.80 an ounce. Higher energy prices and expectations for further rate cuts increases demand on precious metals as a hedge against inflation.

Copper climbed near a record high with the May contract settling 3 cents higher at $3.98 a pound. Copper price forecasts from Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs were raised. With Citigroup referring to strong demand from China as a major driver in higher prices.

May silver settled 36.5 cents higher at $18.12 an ounce, July platinum settled $16.40 higher at $2,046.90 an ounce, June palladium settled $12.75 higher at $457.15 an ounce,.

Energy

Crude oil climbed 2.7-percent today, with the May contract settling $2.86 cents higher at $109.90 a barrel. Refinery issues continue to send the energy sector higher, and May RBOB gasoline settled 2.68 cents higher at a record $2.7835 a gallon.

Natural gas surged 5-percent today with the May contract settling 46.9 cents higher at $9.791 per 1,000 cubic feet. Shrinking supplies and colder weather forecasts sent natural gas and heating oil higher. May heating oil rose 9.22 cents to settle at $3.0843 a gallon.