AUSTRALIAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT

Comment

Prices eased across all categories this week. The better specification merino types between 17.5 and 19.5 were the least affected. With a large portion of the clip now tending to be over long, buyers are looking to the shorter, more even length types that are often less than 12 months growth, in order to improve the quality of their deliveries. The co-efficient in variation in top (cvh) is impacted greatly by longer staple length. Several factors are all contributing to this longer staple length. Growers are breeding towards a more productive animal (longer staple length), the good season is helping sheep to produce more wool (increased cut) and shearing is being delayed beyond 12 months due to the rain. NM types with good specification between 17.5 and 19.0 micron were of particular interest to the trade and they closed generally firm over the week in small supply. Considering almost 40,000 bales were on offer, these types were only a very small percentage of the total offering. The plainer bodied NM sheep can also encourage a longer staple length when bred in certain environments.

AWEX Eastern Indicator compared with 28/11/2022

Eastern Indicator

Close: 1261

Change in % -3.0

Authentico Index Values

15 Micron

Close: 3323

Change in %: -5.4

16 Micron

Close: 2771

Change in %: -2.18

17 Micron

Close: 2438

Change in %: -3.7

18 Micron

Close: 2129

Change in %: +0.28

19 Micron

Close: 1784

Change in %:  -0.6

Authentico Indicator

Close: 2435

Change in %: -2.36

Forecast

Growers are choosing not to sell in the falling market. Almost 20% of the original offering was either passed in or withdrawn from sale. Next week is a designated superfine sale in Sydney. While not as dominant in the national offering in terms of quantity, we will still see a very nice but small volume of high quality fine and superfine wool on offer. Prices below 18.0 micron have eased a lot this season and November does tend to be late in the superfine season these days. Opportunities to buy quality superfine wool will start to be more limited as each week passes.

Auction offering – current week

Market	Sale	Offered	Sold	Passed In
North	S 18	11003	9307	15.4%
South	M 18	19219	15236	20.7%
West	F 18	7308	5714	21.8%

Auction offering – next week

Market	Sale	Sale days	Volume
North	S 19	T – W	8292
South	M 19	T – W	19305
West	F 19	T – W	8352

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