ONLINE wool sales on Wooltrade started strongly early last week before dropping off in line with the auction market pattern.

Wooltrade market operations supervisor Tom Rookyard said 218 bales were traded online last week as the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator gained 10 cents to 100c/kg clean.

The top-priced lot for the week was a 10-bale line 16.2 micron fleece wool with a low 0.2 percent vegetable matter content, 91mm average staple length and tensile strength of 40 Newtons/kilotex. The lot was offered by Arcadian Wool brokers, branded Yeovil/Clunes and sold for 1220c/kg greasy or 1616c/kg dry.

An eight-bale line of 18.5 micron fleece with a yield of 76.9pc, an average staple length of 100mm, tensile strength of 38N/kt and 0.2pc vm sold for 1199c/kg greasy or 1559c/kg clean.

A four-bale line of 19 micron made 1023c/kg greasy, or 1527c/kg clean. The line yielded 67pc, with a staple length of 94mm, tensile strength of 32N/kt and 0.4pc vm content.

An eight-bale 20.1 micron line with a yielded of 65.8pc, staple length of 111mm, tensile strength of 44N/kt and 2.1pc vm sold for 950c/kg greasy or 1444c/kg clean.

An 11-bale line of 21.2 micron fleece sold for 994c/kg greasy, or 1400c/kg clean. It yielded 71pc, with an average staple length of 100mm, tensile strength of 38N/kt and 2.1pc vm.

In the oddments, a six-bale line of 18 micron Merino pieces with 5.9pc vm sold for 745c/kg greasy or 1215c/kg clean. The line yielded 61.3pc, with a staple length of 84mm and a tensile strength of 34N/kt.

An estimated 37,000 bales will be offered in the three selling centres this week. Mr Rookyard said the $A-US exchange rate has been steadily dropping from the end of last week to the start of this week and online Wooltrade has already had strong enquiry from buyers and exporters.

“It appears that there is no indication for a dramatic change ahead.

“Quality fine types continue to be sorted by buyers as supply of these will be limited for the remainder of this season,” he said.

“Coarser wool appears to be a little over-supplied, thus causing prices to drift.

“Other Merino fleece types that have good specs should remain firm; however, low strength and/or high mid-break wools may also drift.”

Mr Rookyard said weather is still impacting on shearing and delivery into brokers’ stores.

“When the weather clears, will be a point in the short term future when supply will rebound and dampen demand.”

Click here to see the latest Wooltrade Top prices Summary.

Source: Wooltrade.