Domestic Wool Slow,
Aussie Wools Mixed

GREELEY, Colo. —(USDA)— Domestic wool trading remains at a complete standstill except for limited warehouse sales on medium and coarse wools. Demand was narrow.

Producers and warehouses in the western U.S. have unseasonally large inventories of the spring clip in first hands and continue to remain reluctant to sell at sharply lower bids.

Processors and wool mills have reduced normal hours due to declining prices on top, finished cloth and the inventories of wool products. In Australia, the "freeze" on the wool stockpile in early August has been short-lived as new elections have been called for and may not be completed until October.

In the meantime, Wool International has started re-offering wool to comply with the sales rate of 90,000 bales per quarter.

In Territory trading the past two weeks, 120,000 pounds of 28-30 micron, mostly blackface wool, staple length, brought 30-35 cents grease. In Texas, a few small lots totaling 40,000 pounds of 23.5-26 micron brought 80-85 cents delivered. In warehouse trading, a total of 560,000 pounds sold with 24.5-26 micron at 97 cents clean, delivered to processors, 26-27.2 micron 92 cents, 27.8-29.3 micron 80-90 cents, some burry at 80 cents, and 29.3-34.4 micron 70-75 cents.

In Australia the eastern market indicator was unchanged at 527A cents per kilo clean. The northern indicator rose one cent to 533 while the southern indicator declined one cent to close at 521. A total of 56,338 bales were offered with 86 percent sold. The 21 micron futures contract for October closed at 537 with December at 536. The Wool International stockpile totals 1,089,575 bales.

The New Zealand indicator fell six cents to close at 412NZ cents per kilo clean. Strong indicator closed up three cents at 366, medium down 12 at 475 and fine down 53 at 764.