AWIS wool market review - week ending 27 May 2011 (Week 47)

The AWEX Regional Indicators finished 2.0% higher, on average, at sales in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle this week when the US exchange rate fell by 0.3%.

The greater rise in the Western Market Indicator on Wednesday included a catch-up component for last Thursday, when there was no sale in the West and the EMI rose by 28¢.

The EMI and the three Regional Indicators are all at their highest levels for the season in both Australian and US currency.

The season average for the AWEX EMI (1108¢) is 239¢ (27.5%) above the average to the same time last year.

32,207 bales were on offer, compared with 38,931 bales last week. 8.6% were passed in, comprised of 7.7% in Sydney, 6.9% in Melbourne and 15.8% in Fremantle. Pass-in rates for Merino fleece and skirtings were 7.1% and 9.8%, respectively.

29,441 bales were cleared to the trade.

There was an increase in the re-offer rate of previously passed-in wools in both this week and last week. This was most noticeable among the skirtings which have had high pass-in rates in recent weeks.

The US exchange rate experienced another volatile week, after displaying relative calm last week. The early week falls were mainly attributed to uncertainty arising from concerns about European sovereign debt, while Thursday's sharp rise was attributed to higher than expected Australian capital expenditure data in the March quarter, particularly in the resources industries.