According to the latest weekly wool talk from Landmark, the EMI eased over each sale day, to close down 26c for the week at 1190c.

Melbourne opened the week on Tuesday, which saw fine through to medium micron wools eased back 15c to 30c. Crossbred categories were 10c to 15c back on previous levels on a relatively high volume offering.

The SMI dropped 16c to 1176c. All three centres were operational on Wednesday. Sydney and Fremantle

markets dropped to match the result of the Melbourne sales, which saw prices fall again. The limit volume of 17 micron and finer wools were well supported, however other fine to broad micron categories were 10c to 20c off

the previous day’s values. Crossbreds also continued to struggle easing 10c to 15c.

In the North, crossbreds were 20c to 30c down from the previous week. 22 micron categories, as well as the 17.5 and finer wools eased back around 20c, while other fine to medium wools recorded falls of 30c to 40c, with 20 microns most affected, easing 47c.

Fremantle sale also saw levels come off from last week.

Finer microns were down 10c to 15c, and medium

microns were 15c to 30c back. There was little change for broader micron categories.

The southern market was quoted softer on Thursday, although it wasn’t all bad news, with fine wools generally firm, and 17 micron and finer up 15c to 25c. The 26 micron wools regained most of what they lost during

Wednesday, picking up 23c, and other broad to crossbred wools were generally firm to unchanged.

Medium micron categories were around 5c down. The SMI closed the week at 1165c, just below where it closed out 2011. The Northern market also closed slightly softer on Tuesday, down 2c to 1224c.

The 17 micron and finer wools were up 10c, and positive results were also recorded by the 28 and 20 micron categories (up 1c and 2c). The 26 micron wools were the standout, gaining 16c. 18 and 18.5 micron wools

were around 15c down, while medium micron wools (other than the 20 microns) eased around 5c. Early reports from Fremantle suggest a softer market in west, with most categories down around 5c to 10c.

Over 46,600 bales are expected at next week’s wool auction, around 10,000 bales less than this week. Sales will be held in Sydney and Melbourne on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Wednesday in Fremantle.