Prices were down generally across all micron categories in all centres on Wednesday, before the market stabilised on Thursday, when the EMI was quoted unchanged at 920 cents.

The Northern Market Indicator eased 20 cents on Wednesday to 948 cents as the fine, medium and broad wools dropped back by 15 to 33 cents. The 26 to 30 micron categories eased from four cents to 14 cents and the 32-micron categories were unchanged.

Coarse micron categories were generally firm to unchanged during the following days sales, as the market in the north turned around.

Medium micron categories were also generally firm to unchanged. The largest gains were among the fine wools, with the 19-micron categories up 20 cents and the 16.5 and 19.5 micron categories gaining 10 cents.

The NMI gained four cents to close at 952 cents. Fine, medium and broad wools in the south eased from 17 to 37 cents on Wednesday, pushing the SMI down 24 cents to 896 cents.

Coarse wools were also softer easing five to 10 cents. Thursday’s sales saw the coarse wools recover slightly, with most categories gaining two cents.

The fine through to broad micron categories however did not make a similar recovery and were generally softer again. The 24-micron categories gained nine cents and the 19.5 and 20-micron categories gained one cent, while the rest of the market eased. The fine wools recorded the largest falls of between 13 and 37 cents, pushing the SMI down four cents to close at 892 cents.

The western market was 13 to 23 cents softer throughout the micron categories offered on Wednesday, however made a good recovery on Thursday.

All micron categories offered at Thursday’s sale gained between five and 13 cents, pushing the WMI up eight cents to 929 cents after a 15 cent fall recorded during the previous day.

Major auction buyers for the week were ABB Wool Export (5226 bales), Queensland Cotton (4248 bales) and Fox and Lillie (3477 bales).

This week just under 50,000 bales are expected at auctions nationally. Sales will take place in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle over two sale days.