What next after China?
After some rapid improvement in the last few weeks, the major saleyard indicators saw some minor decline this week as the market adjusts to new price levels, and some lighter lower quality cattle made their way to the yards. Restocker and feeder steers, lost 13¢ week on week, with the rest of the indicators easing […]
Winter Wonderland
Winter is here and the market has begun to track higher as rain and supply tightness combine to push the market upward after some May volatility. Indicators (See Table 1, National Indicators Table), were relatively mixed with Mutton (+36¢) and Trade lambs (+40¢) the best performers. The rest saw single digit improvement or decline. After […]
Rain and grain push market higher
Rain made things tricky at Homebush on Wednesday but has lifted the cattle market higher. The EYCI skyrocketed this week as numbers were down, and morale was up. Saleyard numbers dropped 14% Week on week to 63k head per the NLRS helping to boost prices as widespread rain kept cattle at home. All saleyard indicators […]
Erratic may market
Some more rain has fallen, but demand remains patchy. Light lambs to slaughter remain under pressure and heavy cull lambs and sheep remain a rare commodity. Post April is always a tricky time to gauge where the market sits particularly at the moment with differing seasonal conditions across the country’s key sheep production regions. Saleyard […]
Slaughter numbers back from break weaker?
It’s been a dry second half of April across the eastern sheep regions, and the post easter slaughter numbers are lower than when we entered the easter break. Lower supply this week was not enough to halt declining lamb indicators. The market saw double digit declines across all Indicators (Table 2). Heavy lambs were the […]
Bumper numbers out of NSW motivate buyers to hit the road
With Northern NSW saleyards getting a flush of supply, buyers are hitting the road on the lookout for value leaving some empty car spaces at the major yards this week. Post easter return saw a flush of cattle come forward with the biggest yarding of the year so far, 106k head per NLRS. 52% out […]
Short week, minor decline
After the easter break the uneven balance of yardings and slaughter numbers typically mask underlying sentiment of the market. Uncertainty of diesel costs and wide-ranging side effects of the Iran conflict on global trade, currency and consumer sentiment continue to muddy the waters. At the moment where rain has been received, demand remains strong. Indicators […]
Lighter cattle come forward
Volatile rainfall across the country, the Middle East conflict driven energy shock and even a new trade deal for Australia are all factors that will look to impact the cattle market in the coming months. This week at least the market reaction to lighter cattle and higher costs was an easing of saleyard cattle indicators. […]
Light lambs higher again
Return to a normal sale week but the rainfall and economic conditions have changed. Light lambs continue to track higher to both processors and restockers. It was a mixed week for saleyard indicators. The National Mutton Indicator (NMI) dropped 11¢ to 792¢/kg cwt despite flat supply. Lamb indicators all averaged single digit gains or losses […]
Impact of the Middle East Conflict on Ag Markets
The conflict in Iran has resulted in significant turmoil in a region of the world that supplies substantial amounts of oil, fertiliser and other raw materials that are critical for agricultural and economic productivity. Whilst market intelligence and updates on what is happening can be highly variable and difficult to validate, there are some key […]
Rain boosts price, light lambs miss out
Supply side support came from some much-needed rainfall but conflict in the Middle East did impact demand side intentions. The result was a mixed bag of higher trade and heavy lamb prices and a decline in the light lamb market. The conflict in the Middle East presents some unique challenges for the lamb and sheep […]
Market steady as the south patiently waits it’s turn for a drink
Prices tracked sideways as the trade waits in anticipation of some rainfall to reach the dry southern cattle regions. Indicative NLRS yardings early Friday has supply 5% lower week on week but the drop in numbers likely wasn’t the driver for price this week. With slaughter demand continuing to hover at the current cycle heights […]