The US hide market remained subdued with limited trading, according to market participants. Interest was reported in plump cow and butt branded steer (BBS) hides, but buyers were firm on pricing, leaving little room for negotiation. A US packer reported BBS hides traded at $27 per piece on Thursday December 19 for an urgent shipment of small volume, likely destined for automotive tanning. Other sellers reported sales at slightly lower prices of $26.50 per piece and $26 per piece.

While there hasn’t been significant pushback from buyers, broader interest in steers beyond BBS and branded steer hides was lacking.

Negotiations among buyers and sellers were taking longer than usual, with participants delaying entry into the market to assess broader trends. Fastmarkets analysts’ expectations for the rest of the week remain muted, with reduced slaughter creating pressure for higher prices, though buyers resisted strongly.

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