BUYER enquiry increased on Wooltrade last week as the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator posted positive growth.

Wooltrade market operations officer Tom Rookyard said as the EMI rose 27 cents last Wednesday and a further 9 cents on Thursday to finish at 1258 cents a kilogram clean, there was a strong and consistent stream of buyer enquiry for wool on Wooltrade.com.au and AuctionsPlus.com.au

The two online selling systems sold 841 bales for the week, he said.

The top-priced lot for the week was 1520c/kg clean (1000c greasy) for a one-bale 15.9 micron line with a staple length of 82mm, 65.8 percent yield, tensile strength of 45 Newtons/kilotex and 2.5pc vegetable matter content. The lot was branded `Karallyn’ and offered by Roberts of Launceston, Tasmania.

Wooltrade bidders buy across the microns

A five bale of 15.5 micron fleece with a yield of 69.9pc, length of 75mm, tensile strength of 37N/kt and 1pc VM sold for 1488c/kg clean or 1000c/kg greasy.

A three-bale line of 17.4 micron wool yielding 65.1pc, with 71mm length, 41N/kt tensile strength and 0.1pc VM sold for 1452c/kg clean or 945c/kg greasy.

A five-bale 18 micron fleece line with 60.5pc yield, 77mm staple length, 36N/kt tensile strength and 0.3pc VM made 1430c/kg clean or 946c/kg greasy.

Ten bales of 19.1 micron fleece yielding 72.9pc, with a mean staple length of 64mm, tensile strength of 47N/kt and 1.2pc VM sold for 1406c/kg clean or 1025c/kg greasy.

A four-bale line of 20.3 micron fleece, with a yield of 62.2pc, staple length of 91mm, tensile strength of 34N/kt and 1.6pc made 1350c/kg clean or 840c/kg greasy.

A six-bale line of 23.7 micron wool for 1250c/kg clean or 724c/kg greasy. This line had a yield of 57.9pc, a mean staple length of 95mm, tensile strength of 30N/kt and 0.7pc VM.

Crossbred wool well-supported on Wooltrade

Mr Rookyard said crossbred wool was well-supported on Wooltrade. A 13-bale line of 26.1 micron wool that yielded 73.4pc with a staple length of 110mm and 0.4pc VM sold for 1076c/kg clean or 790c/kg greasy.

There was also buyer interest for weaner fleece wool in the 17-19 micron range, he said. A six-bale line of 17.8 micron weaners wool with a yield of 66.5pc, staple length of 77mm, tensile strength of 34N/kt and 0.4pc VM sold for 1420c/kg clean or 944c/kg greasy. Three bales of 18.7 micron weaners fleece with a yield of 65.3pc, mean staple length of 73mm, tensile strength of 54N/kt and 1.8pc VM made 1394c/kg clean or 910c/kg greasy.

Mr Rookyard said fine Merino skirtings also drew buyer activity with a two-bale line of 16.1 micron piece, yielding 61.3pc, with a staple length of 71mm, tensile strength of 29N/kt and 3.9pc VM sold for 1419c/kg clean or 870c/kg greasy. Short combing and carding wool was keenly sought after, he said, with two-bale 18.5 micron line of Merino locks with a yield of 53.8pc and 2.8pc VM making 1126c/kg clean or 606c/kg greasy.

Has the auction market found its limit?

Mr Rookyard said the auction market made only gradual gains last Thursday, indicating that this rise may have found its limit.

“Looking forward, a number of factors will impact on this buoyant market position.

“The small offering across all three selling centres, with only a one day sale week in Fremantle, combined with a dropping Australian dollar and less volatile Chinese stock market may help to stabilize our market,” he said.

The annual Nanjing wool conference starts this Thursday in China.

“This week will thus be keenly watched by all market participants.”

Click here to see Wooltrade’s top prices last week.

Source: Wooltrade.