Anhydrous milk fat also strengthened, up 1.1% to an average of US$6405/MT, while lactose rose 2% to US$1721/MT and mozzarella gained 1.3% to US$3940/MT.
Not all products finished in positive territory.
Cheddar recorded the largest fall, dropping 6.5% to an average of US$3586/MT, while butter slipped 0.6% to an average of US$5303/MT.
A total of 26,889MT of product was sold to 117 successful bidders.
That compares with 26,316MT sold at the previous event.
On July 13, Fonterra revised its 2026/27 farmgate milk price forecast to $9.25 per kgMS, within a range of $8–$10.50, down from the opening forecast of $9.75 per kgMS and a range of $8–$11 announced in May.
For the 2025/26 season, which ended on May 31, the co-op narrowed its forecast range to $9.60–$9.80 per kgMS, from $9.40–$10, with the midpoint unchanged at $9.70 — its second-highest on record.
The forecast compares with the record $10.16 per kgMS paid for the 2024/25 season.