AUSTRALIAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT

Comment

After last week’s more positive tone, the market has struggled for any clear direction this week. A weakening US Dollar against all major currencies early in the week, left wool dearer in the main user currency. With limited demand, this was a burden too great for the market to be able to sustain. The one positive note has been the strong performance, all things considered, of the better fine wool. There appears less fine wool in general at the moment, surely contributing to this trend, but we now head into the main period for fine wool. On average this week, the Sydney merino fleece catalogue (18.6 micron) and Melbourne (19.7 micron) were about 0.5 micron broader than the corresponding sales in 2019. A better season and supplementary feeding programs during the drought would be responsible for this.

The quality from the New England region, usually the source of much of the best fine wool, will be significantly affected this year. The change in season around February 2020 has resulted in a large percentage of ‘middle break’ wools and the big rains that followed have created an abundance of feed and an increase in grass seed in the wool.

AWEX Eastern Indicator compared with 14/08/2020

Eastern Indicator

Close: 945

Change in % -5.87

If you want to learn more about AWEX indicators, visit the official website http://www.awex.com.au

Authentico Index Values

15 Micron

Close: 2151

Change in %:  +0.05

16 Micron

Close: 1933

Change in %: +1.63

17 Micron

Close: 1566

Change in %: -3.81

18 Micron

Close: 1372

Change in %: -3.38

19 Micron

Close: 1220

Change in %: -4.69

Authentico Indicator

Close: 1605

Change in %: -2.01

Forecast

No sale in Fremantle next week with the annual Wool Week Annual General Meetings to be held on Thursday by zoom tele-conferencing. It will be a smaller national offering.

The Wool Production Forecasting Committee has presented their latest forecast for the 2020/2021 wool season. Wool Production is expected to decline by 1.1% to 280 million kg’s following on from the 5.5% decline in the 2019/2020 season. The 1.1% fall in volume is comprised of a reduction in shorn sheep numbers by 5.5% but an expected increase in average wool cut per head of 2.9% due to the better season.

Auction offering – current week

Market          Sale          Offered             Sold       Passed In

North                      S 08                     8210                         6483                  21.0%

South                     M 08                    17497                       13918                  20.5%

West                       F 08                      5687                         3168                   44.3%

Auction offering – next week

Market          Sale          Sale days          Volume

North                      S 09                       T / W                        8147

South                      M 09                      T / W                       14199

West                        F 09                      no sale

 

If you want to see the complete Wool Sales Roster click here.