Hide trading was active following the Independence Day holiday closures for US sellers on Thursday July 4, with slight price improvements from the first half of the week, July 1-3. Chinese tanners struggled with cash availability due to high hide inventories and minimal leather orders. 

A US packer reported regular weight heavy native steers at $32 per piece, $3 per piece higher than a report from another US packer. The higher trade was intended for automotive upholstery usage.

Other sellers reported regular weight branded heifer hides at $17 per piece, up $1 per piece from the last traded levels, as well as heavy Texas steer hides at $23 per piece and butt branded steer hides at $25 per piece, both down $1 per piece from last reported levels.

Tanners in China were resistant to pay flat price levels during the week ended Friday July 5, whereas tanners from other origins were more willing to pay somewhat flat-to-higher price levels.

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