Hide trading was relatively steady to end the day. There were trades reported on light Heavy Native Steers (HNS), which traded up $0.50/piece from last reported levels. Both regular weight HNS and regular weight Butt Branded Steers (BBS) traded down $0.50/piece. Market participants noted that the automotive industry is more active but not buying large quantities as they work through previously purchased product.

Increasing Automotive Hide Demand and Tight Supply Lead to Price Increases

After several weeks of slow hide buying from automotive tanners, purchasing activity returned as tanners have moved through their inventory. The recent uptick in demand pushed prices…