The US hide market experienced subdued activity during the week-ended Friday December 13, as participants navigated various challenges including currency fluctuations and declining lime split prices. A key development at a recent industry conference highlighted a projected reduction of over 1 million head in the total commercial cattle slaughter for 2025 compared with 2024, with the bulk of the decline expected to come from cows rather than steers. This anticipated supply decrease adds an underlying layer of uncertainty to market dynamics.

This week, market participants reported that several sellers moved limited volumes, with cow hide demand from upholstery tanners remaining steady. But buyers were hesitant to pay more than slightly above last-traded levels. The downward trend in lime split prices and the continued devaluation of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar have weighed heavily on the market, constraining tanneries’ ability to absorb higher costs.

…