Market Report 30.01.2026

What happened this week

The weather seems to reflect the current situation – or perhaps the situation reflects the weather; everyone can decide that for themselves at the moment. January is coming to an end this weekend, and although one twelfth of the year has already passed, the year has not really gained momentum yet. Tanneries continue to complain about a rather sluggish order intake, and the clock is slowly starting to tick, making it clear that something really needs to change for the better. Consumer sentiment is certainly at its weakest in Europe, and particularly in Germany, and this cannot truly be compensated for by exports either. Another significant burden emerged this week from the currency markets, as the US dollar weakened noticeably once again, further increasing the pressure on export prices denominated in US dollars. In Asia, the impact of the upcoming holiday shutdown is now clearly being felt, in some cases leading to planned shipments being postponed or required payments not yet being received. In Europe, the major suppliers continue to defend the market for heavier male bovine hides. While the main users of this material – suppliers to the automotive industry – are still unable to return to their former capacity utilization, reports indicate improved activity at the well-known contract tanneries. As a result, noticeably more material is once again being directed into the hands of traders and marketeers of selections. A factor is also the splits and protein return. Whether all this will actually be absorbed by corresponding demand for leather will certainly become clear in the coming months. Moreover, reports from European tanneries remain far from enthusiastic. This leaves hope that the relatively cold winter across large parts of Europe and also in the United States has at least helped retailers clear their stocks of winter boots, gloves and garment, encouraging them to place orders for the next autumn/winter season with renewed confidence and necessity. In summary, prices to overseas markets remained relatively stable this week; however, the significant decline of the US dollar placed corresponding pressure on revenues in Euros. For male hides, decisive negotiations between the major slaughterhouses and buyers are likely to take place in the coming weeks. The fully integrated leather industry will almost certainly no longer be willing to pay the prices that have been in place for months. This will depend on whether sellers can find alternatives or whether they may be forced to hold back material in anticipation of better times. These better times will, of course, still need to arrive – until then, a reassessment of prices appears unavoidable. Thus, another unspectacular week comes to an end, in which buyers’ willingness to purchase and their price expectations have been the determining factors.