The Australian wool market concluded its 2025–26 selling season on a cautious note, with buyers stepping back after weeks of sustained price momentum. Despite the softer finish, the season delivered one of the most powerful annual rebounds in recent memory, with the Eastern Market Indicator gaining 61% year-on-year. B2B textile professionals tracking fiber input costs will find the season's outcome highly relevant for sourcing and pricing strategies in the period ahead.
Final Week Correction Hits Merino Hard
Week 52 data from Australian Wool Innovation confirmed a broad pullback across key benchmark categories. The Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) dropped 46 Australian cents to close at 1,943 ac/kg, while in US-dollar terms it fell 63 US cents to 1,342 usc/kg. The Western Market Indicator (WMI) shed 41 Australian cents to reach 2,129 ac/kg, declining 63 US cents to 1,470 usc/kg.
Fine Merino fleece in the 16.5–19 micron range experienced the steepest declines, falling 70–75 cents across selling centres. Medium Merinos in the 19.5–21 micron bracket retreated by 65–70 cents, while Merino cardings eased a further 10–15 cents.
Crossbred wool bucked the trend entirely. Broader 25–32 micron lines attracted consistent buyer interest and lifted approximately 15–20 cents for the week. Market observers attributed the Merino retreat to buyer price sensitivity following rapid recent gains—not a fundamental weakening in demand. Sellers largely resisted discounted bids, contributing to a national clearance rate of 83.4% for the final week.
Season Delivers Landmark 61% Year-on-Year Recovery
Despite the late-week softness, the 2025–26 campaign stands as a landmark recovery year for the Australian wool industry. The EMI finished 736 Australian cents above its 2024–25 closing level, representing a 61% improvement over the prior year's close.
The US-dollar benchmark reinforced this picture, with the EMI gaining 557 US cents—a 71% year-on-year increase that underscores the scale of the 12-month turnaround. Total auction offerings were 3.4% lower than the prior season, yet the higher price environment more than compensated, driving total auction value up by $675 million.
2026–27 Season Opens with 33,489 Bales
The new selling season is set to begin with 33,489 bales rostered for auction across Australia's major centres. Fremantle will conduct sales on Wednesday, while Sydney and Melbourne will run auctions across both Wednesday and Thursday.
These opening sessions will provide the first test of buyer appetite and price discovery for the 2026–27 campaign. Procurement teams and textile news followers will watch results closely for signals on where values may stabilise. With supply expected to remain constrained and demand from key processing markets still active, Australian wool producers enter the new season from a position of relative strength.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the EMI at the close of the 2025–26 Australian wool season?
The Eastern Market Indicator closed at 1,943 Australian cents per kilogram. This represented a 61% year-on-year improvement—a gain of 736 Australian cents over the 2024–25 season-end level.
Why did wool prices fall in the final week despite a strong overall season?
Buyers exercised price discipline after several weeks of rapid gains, particularly in finer Merino categories. Sellers resisted accepting lower bids, which resulted in a national clearance rate of 83.4% for the final week of the season.
How did 2025–26 total auction value compare to the prior season?
Despite a 3.4% reduction in total bales offered, the higher price environment drove total auction value up by $675 million, demonstrating the significant commercial impact of the year-on-year price recovery.
