ONLINE wool-buying activity was consistent last week as the physical wool market continued its current seasonal record-breaking run.

Wooltrade market operations supervisor Tom Rookyard said 325 bales of wool sold online last week, as the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator last week closed at 1311c/kg clean — its fourth consecutive week above 1300 cents.

The top price online was 11230c/kg greasy, or 1587c/kg clean, for two bales of SUPAAA 16.3 micron fleece. The line yielded 77.5 percent, with an average staple length of 83mm, a tensile strength of 37 Newtons/kilotex and 0.1pc vegetable matter content. The lot was branded DH/Walcha and sold by Elders Sydney.

A 13-bale line of 17.7 micron fleece sold for 1025c/kg greasy, or 1607c/kg clean. The northern line yielded 63.8pc, was 76mm long, with a tensile strength of 44N/kt and 2.1pc vm.

An 11-bale line of 18.9 micron fleece, with a yield of 67.7pc, staple length of 96mm, tensile strength of 38N/kt and 0.4pc vm sold for 1040c/kg greasy, or 1536c/kg clean.

A 14-bale line of 19.1 micron wool sold for 983c/kg greasy, or 1515c/kg clean. The Western Australian line yielded 64.9pc, with an average staple length of 93mm, tensile strength of 29N/kt and 0.5pc vm.

A 13-bale line of 20.5 micron fleece with a yield of 62.8pc, mean staple length of 98mm, a tensile strength of 34N/kt and 0.9pc vm made 915c/kg greasy, or 1457c/kg clean.

Twelve bales of 21.5 micron Merino fleece sold for 945c/kg greasy, or 1419c/kg clean. The line yielded 66.6pc, with an average staple length of 113mm, a tensile strength of 32N/kt and 0.3pc vm.

Mr Rookyard said fine Merino belly wool was once again sought after by the buyers, with an eight-bale line of 17.7 micron bellies, 65mm long, with a yield of 56.7pc, a tensile strength of 29N/kt and 1.6pc vm, selling for 810c/kg greasy, or 1429c/kg clean. The line was offered by Roberts Tasmania and branded Cheamside.

Mr Rookyard said the estimated 44,000 bales to be offered this week, include 27,000 bales in Melbourne, will test the strength of demand. Melbourne’s offering includes about 2000 bales of New Zealand Merino wool on Tuesday.

“The supply will be met by an exchange rate that is higher than last week’s close.

“Conversely to this, constant rain across all wool producing states is definitely putting pressure on supply,” he said.

Mr Rookyard said supply pressure appeared to be the factor on forward contracts, with deals already done out to mid-2017.

Click here to read the latest Wooltrade Top Prices Summary Report E11/16.

Source: Wooltrade.