After a strong start to the week, the US animal fats and oils markets ended the month on a mixed note on Friday January 31, as ongoing uncertainty continued to cloud the outlook for the second quarter and beyond.

While activity slowed midweek, particularly in the Gulf Coast region, most markets still averaged higher week on week, supported by earlier price gains that held firm.

Prices for used cooking oil (UCO) and tallow in the Gulf rose by 1.22% and 2.69% respectively, while renderer- and packer-grade bleachable fancy tallow (BFT) gained by 4.99% and 2.08% in Chicago.

Meanwhile, the FOB Missouri River markets had some of the largest weekly increases, with distiller’s corn oil (DCO) and choice white grease (CWG) climbing by 4.77% and 4.18% respectively.

Participants attributed this strength to sustained demand from the renewable fuel and oleochemical sectors, which have tightened supply in recent weeks.

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