WOOL buyers bought 277 bales online last week as the Australian auction market held firm and the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator closed unchanged at 1331c/kg clean.

Wooltrade market operations officer Tom Rookyard said the top-priced lot last week was an eight-bale line of 15 micron Merino weaners fleece, 80mm long and with 0.3 percent vegetable matter content, that sold for 1746c/kg clean or 1250c/kg greasy.

The Victorian line yielded 71.6pc and had a tensile strength of 40 Newtons/kilotex. It was offered by Elders Melbourne and branded Nicholson River.

A two-bale line of 17.2 micron fleece wool sold for 1680c/kg clean, or 1250c/kg greasy. It yielded 74.4pc, with an average staple length of 90mm, 0.4pc vm and a tensile strength of 41N/kt.

A three-bale line of 19.6 micron fleece with a yield of 68.2pc, staple length of 106mm, tensile strength of 16N/kt and 0.3pc vm sold for 1444c/kg clean, or 985c/kg greasy.

A 19-bale line of 20.1 micron fleece sold for 1479c/kg clean, or 935c/kg greasy. It tested with a yield of 63.2pc, an average staple length of 102mm, a tensile strength of 43N/kt and 1.3pc vm.

A five-bale line of 21 micron fleece with a yield of 64.3pc, a mean staple length of 98mm, tensile strength of 35N/kt and 3.1pc vm sold for 1407c/kg clean, or 905c/kg greasy.

In the oddments, a 15-bale line of 20.6 micron skirtings sold for 1175c/kg clean, or 590c/kg greasy. It had a yield of 50.2pc, was 91mm long, with a tensile strength of 33N/kt and 9.8pc vm.

Cardings were topped by a four-bale line of 21.6 micron Merino crutchings with a yield of 50.2pc and 8.8pc vm. This lot sold for 666c/kg greasy or 1204c/kg clean. It was branded Ellimatta/E and offered by Elders Adelaide.

Mr Rookyard said the offering this week of just under 50,000 bales might put pressure on the market.

“Conversely, the Australian to US dollar has dropped significantly from last week.

“This may help the larger quantity on offer,” he said.

Click here for the latest Wooltrade Top Price Summary report.

Source: Wooltrade.