Hide Market

U.S. Raw Hide prices moved lower again last week.  Steer hide values were lowered by $0.50 to $1.00 per piece, depending on selection, were all the U.S. Cow hide selections.  There were more tanners in the market last week, and the return of bids from Chinese tanners was a notable footnote.  There were repetitive reports from China about pollution-related government closures in northern China and the plight of the shoe leather business.  There is no question that these factors have affected the … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – April 16, 2018

Little was heard from Chinese tanners last week.  Part of their absence from the U.S. hide market can be attributed to their being out for the Chinese Qingming/Tomb Sweeping holidays.  And, part of their absence was due to their anticipation of lower hide prices going forward.  Although a few Chinese tanners stuck their heads out late in the week, most of the activity in the market came from other destination countries like Korea, Mexico, etc.  During the week, U.S. Steer hides prices did move … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – April 9, 2018

Where are the Chinese tanners?  Seems like they are hibernating.  What will all this this talk about tariffs and trade wars have on the hide market?  Why can’t we get an Export Sales Report from the USDA that makes sense to us?  When will the demand for footwear leather pickup?  Have U.S. Cow hide prices hit the bottom?  The hide market has left us with more questions than answers recently.  We expected last week to be a little more active in the U.S. hide market, but without much demand coming … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – March 26, 2018

THE HIDE MARKET – MARCH 5, 2018 We have to call last week’s sales of U.S. raw hides limited.  It felt like many Asian tanners, particularly Chinese tanners, were in a holding pattern as far as new hide purchases were concerned.  This posture could be due to a number of things.  Last week, most Asian tanners had just returned to work after their Lunar New Year holidays and were in the process of assessing their raw material needs.  Also, we continue to hear that leather orders, particularly for … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – March 5, 2018

There were only a few bids for U.S. raw hides coming out of Asia through Wednesday of last week.  On Thursday, many of the offices at the Chinese tanneries reopened after their longish Lunar New Year holidays and things started to pick up.  There were a fair number of bids in the market on both Thursday and Friday, most of them at prices that were down from last traded levels by $1.00.  By week’s end, after a number counters and re-bids, a respectable number of trades were consummated.  Steer … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – February 26, 2018

For U.S. Raw and Wet Blue sellers there was a little carry over business booked early last week with Asian trading partners.  But, by last Wednesday the U.S. hide market was so quiet you could have heard a calf skin drop.  We don’t think a lot of the U.S. raw and wet blue hide suppliers were surprised by their lack of interest from their Asian customers.  Last week was not the first time the Lunar New Year holidays effected their business.  We can say with confidence that the U.S. raw hide sales … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – February 20, 2018

Things started slowly in U.S. hide market last week.  Some Steer hide suppliers offering lists were pretty well populated, while other lists were limited as to selection and quantities being offered.  Tanners opened the bidding at prices that were $1.00 to $3.00 below asking levels.  As a result, there were basically no raw hide sales reported until Wednesday of last week when a few sales were reported at prices that ranged from steady with last traded levels to down by $.50 to $1.00 per piece.  … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – February 12, 2018

THE HIDE MARKET – FEBRUARY 5, 2018 Our take on last week’s U.S. Steer hide market was that price remained steady for the most part, but volume was down.  This resulted from the fact that there were fewer Steer hides offered last week, and the fact that no buyer was willing to pay more than last traded levels.  There were rumors circulating that a couple of the large U.S. packers made some large, block sales direct to some large tanners at prices that were lower than the reported levels.  These … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – February 5, 2018

THE HIDE MARKET – JANUARY 29, 2018 The current price ranges for U.S. Steer hides must be agreeable to both suppliers and buyers, it seems, as it was more of the same for the U.S. Steer hide market last week.  It must be close to six weeks, now, since we have seen any real movement in the prices of U.S. Steer hides.  U.S. packers and dealers appear to be comfortable enough with their sold-ahead positions that they feel no pressure to accept any of the lower bids that they receive from tanners … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – January 29, 2018

THE HIDE MARKET – JANUARY 29, 2018 The current price ranges for U.S. Steer hides must be agreeable to both suppliers and buyers, it seems, as it was more of the same for the U.S. Steer hide market last week.  It must be close to six weeks, now, since we have seen any real movement in the prices of U.S. Steer hides.  U.S. packers and dealers appear to be comfortable enough with their sold-ahead positions that they feel no pressure to accept any of the lower bids that they receive from tanners … [Read more...] about The Hide Market Report – January 22, 2018