FINER micron wools led a new-year surge at the Western Wool Centre (WWC) last week as prices followed those of Eastern States into near record territory.
Trading at the WWC resumed on Wednesday after a three-week festive-season recess with the strongest opening wool market buyers and sellers said they could recall.
Buyers immediately ignored an increased offering - at 11,998 bales it was 2364 bales more than offered the week before the recess.
Spirited bidding pushed prices higher from the start.
Prices for 18 to 20 micron Merino fleece started racing on Wednesday with increases ranging from 68 cents per kilogram clean (19 micron) to 104c/kg (18 micron).
As new 12-month highs, those benchmarks were surpassed on Thursday with prices firming a further 27c/kg (20 micron) to 39c (18.5 micron).
They were the best since recent records were set in 2011.
At the close of trade on Thursday 18.5 micron wool was selling for 1849c/kg, 18.5 micron for 1798c/kg, 19 micron for 1724c/kg clean, 19.5 micron for 1669c/kg and 20 micron for 1588c/kg according to Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) statistics.
"The whole market is all about microns," Elders Wool broker Rob Young said.
"For part of last year there was something like 50c difference across the micron range, now the difference is more like 300c."
In his first AWEX regional market comment for the year Andrew Rickman, technical controller at the WWC, said: "We are seeing more traditional price differentials with the gap between 18 and 21 micron out to 370c."
Dyson Jones Wool state manager Peter Howie agreed major interest was towards the finer end of the market.
"It's all good, a very healthy market, but the finer end is doing best," Mr Howie said.
"We're holding about half as much wool as we were this time last year, it's coming in and going straight out to auction," he said.
"Receivals were good up until last week, there's been a bit of a lull because everyone is on holiday, but by the first week in February we'll be well and truly back into it again," he said.
Elders client Roger Glover, G & RH Glover, Mallibee Merino and Poll Merino Fine Wool studs, Wannamal, claimed best greasy prices in WA last week for his top two lines of fine wool.
Both lines bettered the rare equivalent $20 a kilogram clean benchmark at the WWC.
Five bales of 16.4 micron fleece, with test statistics of 87 millimetre staple length, 24N/kt strength, 0.4 per cent vegetable matter and 71.6pc yield, sold for 1461c/kg greasy - equivalent to 2041c/kg Schlumberger dry.
Another four bales of 16.8 micron fleece with statistics of 90mm, 34N/kt, 0.5pc VM and 70.8pc yield, sold for 1425c/kg - equivalent to 2013c/kg Schlumberger dry.
Three other lines of Glover wool sold for 1231, 1100 and 904c/kg.
Chinatex and Techwool Trading vied for top buyer position in the first week
The Western Indicator finished the week up 77c to 1498c, its highest level since 2011 - well ahead of the Eastern Market Indicator at 1422c, up 67c for the week and just 3c shy of its record.