The national quantity increased slightly to 35,784 bales.

Buyers were again tentative in their bidding, as a result the market struggled to find a solid basis.

The lack of buyer confidence combined with an ever-increasing quantity of lower yielding combined with lower strength wool, has resulted in losses across the board.

By the end of the sale the prices being realised were generally 15 to 40 cents below those achieved at the previous sale.

The AWEX Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) lost 20 cents for the series, to close at 1,854 cents.

Over the previous three sales the EMI has dropped by 169 cents.

The EMI has now fallen 262 cents from the record achieved in mid-August, this equates to a reduction of 12 per cent.

The fall in prices was again met with firm seller resistance, resulting in 16.7 per cent of the national offering being passed in, this combined with the 8.6 per cent that was withdrawn prior to sale, meant that the clearance rate for the week was only 74.7 per cent.

The skirtings were the best performing sector this week, managing to record modest gains for the week of between 5 and 10 cents, wool carrying less than 2.0 per cent vegetable matter attracting the most competition and the largest gains.

The crossbreds had a week of mixed results, prices rose slightly in the south and fell slightly in the north.

The oddments continued their steep downward path.

Locks, stains and crutchings generally fell by a further 40 to 100 cents, pushing the three carding indicators down by an average 71 cents.

Over the course of the previous six sales, the merino carding indicators have fallen by an average of 468 cents.

Quantities remain very similar next week, currently there is 35,696 bales on offer across Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle. 

If you have a query, contact Elders National Wool Selling Centre on 03 8325 7000.