The AWEX Eastern Market Indicator was up 7c/kg for its second consecutive week and closed on Friday at 879c/kg, a dramatic turn around on the bleak 760c/kg EMI value it opened at in January this year.

Leading Schneider wool buyer Don Belgri predicts it will be another 12 months before the finer end of the wool catalogue will rebound, while the performance of the medium wool types is likely to continue rising when sales recommence January 11.

In line with buying trends this year, it is expected China will continue to dominant the buying mix, with European buyers not expected to make a dent until the close of next year.

Last week China, India and Taiwan were the dominant buyers.

“If growers are thinking about holding (their wool) then we're talking about 12 months in my view (in the finer end),” said Don Belgri, wool buyer at Schneider.

“Things are improving but Europe is still going through a difficult period and I don’t expect full recovery for something like another year.”

Mr Belgri said as China’s manufacturing industry became more sophisticated it was expected its buying habits would move into the finer end of the wool market.

December export figures have China consuming 80.65 per cent of the market, up 17.6pc on last year, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics.

At the final two day sales for 2009 in Sydney and Melbourne, the oscillating Australian dollar contributed to the AWEX EMI finishing unchanged on Tuesday and then lifting by 7c/kg on Wednesday.

The Western Indicator fell 4c/kg on Tuesday in a one day sale in Fremantle.

Australian Wool Industries Secretariat (AWIS) reported when the market was looked at in other currencies, the AWEX EMI moved down 7c (-0.9pc) in US terms and was up by 2c/kg (+0.4pc) in Euro terms when compared with the previous sale.