Having dipped in past weeks, prices in the EU mature pigs market held steady this week. The three week-long downswing seen since summer's end righted itself, as the influential German quotation held steady. Dutch, Belgian, Austrian and Irish prices also remained unchanged.

The British quotation even increased a little, as a result of favourable exchange rates.  

However, prices dropped in Spain and France. German industry group ISN said that cooler temperatures and increasing weights may mean the Southern states' fortunes change in the near future.

Having bucked the prevailing trend over the past three weeks as a result of healthy exports to third countries, the Danish quotation fell by 2.8 cents this week.

ISN said that, in Germany at least, "the situation is expected to remain steady" over the coming days.