Wool Market in the Balance: Global Wool Prices, Supply and Demand Chris Wilcox Chairman, Market Intelligence Committee IWTO 2016 Congress, Sydney 4 April 2016
Events Affecting the Wool Industry since 84 th IWTO Congress in 2015 Anticipated Slow economic recovery in advanced economies China economy in transition Better raw wool demand Low world wool production Pull-back in superfine wool production Higher wool prices, particularly merino cardings Continued strong demand for double-faced woollen fabric Surprises Spike in prices and surge in supplies in Australia in May-June 2015 Large decline in commodity prices Periods of global sharemarket upheaval Recovery in A$ and NZ$ against US$
World Wool Prices In the Past Year (% change March 2016 compared with March 2015) US$ Local currency Uruguay corriedale British MI -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% % change NZ xbred NZ Fine xbred South Africa 21um South Africa MI Aust Merino Card Aust 18um Aust EMI Source: AWEX, NZ Wool Services, Capewools, BWMB, Zambrano & Cia (Uruguay)
Wool Outperforms Other Commodities % change March 2016 vs March 2015 US$ base % change y-o-y 10% 5% 0% -5% -10% -15% -20% -25% -30% Apparel Wool Interiors Wool Cashmere Cotton Polyester Staple Acrylic Oil Metals Source: AWEX, The Economist, CotLook, PCI Fibres Prices to March 2016 Apparel wool Australian EMI; Interiors Wool NZ Crossbred wool
World Wool Production Down then Flat World wool production steady in 2014/15 at 1,166 mkg clean World production predicted down by 1.5% in 2015/16 Up in China, India, UK, Mongolia and USA Down in Australia (-7%), New Zealand, South Africa, Uruguay (-9%) Continued interest in sheep for meat or dual-purpose Competition from other agricultural enterprises lessens (e.g. dairy in NZ) Superfine (18.5 micron and finer) wool production falls back from peak Major decline in medium and broader Merino wool World wool production predicted to be flat in 2016/17 Lower production in Australia offset by expected increases in most other IWTO countries
World Wool Production Trends Total wool production - mkg clean mkg clean 2015 2016f % change 2017f % change Apparel wool IWTO countries Australia 277 258-7.0% 256-0.6% Argentina 28 28 0.0% 29 +0.7% South Africa 30 30-1.0% 30 +1.6% Uruguay 22 19-8.8% 20 +3.8% USA 7.2 7.3 +1.5% 7.4 +1.9% Interior textile wool IWTO countries China 176 177 +0.3% 177 0.0% New Zealand 114 112-2.2% 112 +0.1% India 39 39 +0.6% 39 +0.5% UK 22 22-1.0% 22 0.0% Mongolia 17 18 +8.4% 21 +11.1% Others 442 446 +0.8% 449 +0.7% Global 1,166 1,148-1.5% 1,154 +0.5% Source: IWTO national committee reports, FAO and Poimena Analysis Note: 2015 = 2014/15 for Australia, NZ, Uruguay, Argentina, South Africa. Updated: 30 th March 2016
Superfine Wool Production Pulls Back from Peak mkg clean 80 60 40 mkg clean WORLD % of Total Clip % of total 7% 6% 5% 4% 3% mkg clean 80 60 40 mkg clean AUSTRALIA % of Total Clip % of total 30% 25% 20% 15% 20 2% 1% 20 10% 5% 0 0% 0 0% Source: Poimena Analysis, AWTA, NZWTA, Cape Wools, FLA, Delta, American Sheep Industries, China Wool Textile Association. Updated March 2016
Medium Merino Wool Production Drops Australian Wool Production by Micron Range Shares % share 100% 18.5um & finer 18.6-20.5 um 20.6-24.5 um 24.6um and broader 75% 50% 25% 0% 1991/92 1994/95 1997/98 2000/01 2003/04 2006/07 2009/10 2012/13 2015/16f Source: Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee and Australian Wool Testing Authority Updated: March 2016
IWTO Wool Textile Business Survey 2016 Eleven countries reported Care with interpreting results Early stage processing tracking slightly below normal Knitting, weaving and interior textiles sectors come back from good conditions Spinning improving a little Excess stocks in weaving, knitting, garment making and interior textiles in 2015 Stocks now under control? Low stocks currently in ESP
Wool Textile Industry Production Activity: Return to Normal Levels? Rating Rating Very Good 5 5 Good 4 4 Normal 3 3 Poor 2 Early Stage Proc Spinning 2 Knitting Garment making Weaving Interior textiles Very Poor 1 1 Source: IWTO Wool Textile Business Survey Weighted results for China, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Mongolia, Argentina, South Africa, Japan, France, Spain and the United Kingdom
Wool Textile Industry Stock Levels Pull Back from Highs Well above normal 5 Above normal 4 Normal 3 Below normal 2 Early Stage Proc Spinning Weaving Knitting Well below normal 1 Garment making 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 April 2014 Interior textiles 2014 April 2015 2015 March 2016 End 2016f Source: IWTO Wool Textile Business Survey Weighted results for China, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, Mongolia, Argentina, South Africa, Japan, France, Spain and the United Kingdom
Raw Wool Imports by Europe Turns Up 12 month rolling aggregate % change y-o-y % change y-o-y 20% 15% Total China 40% 30% India Western Europe Other 10% 20% 5% 10% 0% 0% -5% -10% -10% -20% -15% -30% Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, FLA, SUL, Capewools, Beef and Lamb NZ Data to January 2016
Clothing Retail Sales in the Major Wool Consuming Countries % change y-o-y 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Oct-Jan 2014 2015 China +25.8% +25.1% +17.7% +11.5% +10.8% +9.5% +8.9% +6.6% USA +6.0% +3.4% +0.9% +1.3% +1.1% +3.8% +5.1% +1.5% Japan -6.3% +3.2% -0.4% -0.7% -0.5% -2.3% -1.0% -3.3% Germany +1.2% +0.9% -0.3% +0.1% +1.3% +2.6% +2.1% +1.6% UK +5.4% +3.3% +1.5% +3.1% +5.2% +1.6% -1.0% +0.2% Italy +0.8% -1.1% -2.3% -2.1% -1.3% +0.8% -1.1% +0.7% France +2.8% +1.7% +0.6% +1.1% +1.2% +2.9% +1.6% +2.0% South Korea +9.8% +8.6% +3.2% +0.8% +1.6% +3.5% +0.7% +5.6% Source: Notes: Government statistical bureaus. Value of retail sales. China is for retail sales of garments, hats, footwear and knitwear. Japan is for major department stores. Germany, Italy, France and South Korea is total retail sales.
Retail Sales of Furnishings and Floorcoverings in Selected Countries % change y-o-y China USA Japan UK 2010 +37.2% +2.1% -4.0% -17.6% 2011 +32.8% +9.6% -1.8% -22.1% 2012 +27.0% +6.3% +1.7% +28.9% 2013 +21.0% +10.4% -2.5% +14.5% 2014 +13.9% +6.5% -1.8% -3.1% 2015 +16.1% +5.9% -14.8% -28.9% Source: Notes: Government statistical bureaus. Value of retail sales. China is for retail sales of furniture including floorcoverings, USA is for carpets and other floorcoverings. Japan is for sales of furniture in major department stores. UK is for floor covering retail stores.
Disappointing US Imports of Wool Products in 2015 (Value - Calendar Year) $US million 1,400 1,200 1,000-14% 2012 2013 2014 2015 800-5% -2% 600-12% +1% 400 200-4% -4% 0 Knitwear Men's suits Men's separates Men's coats Women's wovens (ex coats) Women's coats Wool floorcoverings Source: OTEXA
Drivers and Prospects for 2016/17 Slower world economic growth in 2016 and 2017 Solid in US and UK, improving in Europe and Japan China slowing and in transition a key for wool Positive consumer confidence in the US, Europe and Japan BUT Disappointing results for US imports of wool products Mixed forecasts for growth in private consumption Wool textile industry stocks now under control? Low world wool production continues High price ratio for wool against cotton prices and synthetic fibres does it matter? US$ predicted to be strong against grower country currencies, but how accurate are the forecasters? Prospects in the balance
Private Consumption Forecasts in Key Apparel Wool Consuming Countries Country Share of wool at retail Private Consumption Forecasts 2014 2015 2016(f) 2017(f) China* 23% 7.3% 6.9% 6.4% 6.2% USA 11% 2.4% 2.4% 2.7% 2.6% Japan 9% -1.0% -1.2% 0.4% 0.1% Italy 5% 0.4% 0.9% 1.4% 1.2% Germany 5% 0.9% 1.9% 2.0% 1.6% South Korea 5% 3.3% 2.6% 2.5% 2.4% UK 4% 2.6% 2.9% 2.7% 2.2% France 3% 0.6% 1.4% 1.3% 1.6% (f) forecast. * China is GDP growth. Source: Poimena Analysis for wool at retail, three year average 2012-14, Consensus Forecast (March 2016)
Wool Price Competitiveness US$ terms Ratio Synthetics Ratio Cotton 8 19 micron 21 micron 28 micron 7 7 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 19 micron 21 micron 28 micron Source: AWEX, Cotton Outlook, PCI Fibres, CIRFS, Woolmark, Poimena Analysis Data to March 2016 Note: for 28 micron wool, the ratio is against acrylic fibre
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