Antimony market dull

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 16 Jun 06 – Both antimony ingot and trioxide markets are showing signs of softening with slow demand domestically and abroad. Market sources anticipant lower prices for antimony products in the second half of June.Asian Metal CopyrightA Hunan-based antimony trioxide smelter has reduced output by half to current 200tpm due to the sluggish market.Asian Metal Copyright

A Hunan-based antimony trioxide smelter has reduced output by half to current 200tpm due to the sluggish market. An official from the smelter revealed that it just reduced offers of its high-quality antimony trioxide to RMB34,000/t(USD4,250/t) ex works from RMB37,000/t(USD4,625/t) two weeks ago.Asian Metal Copyright “We have some stocks of antimony ingot on hand, which were purchased several weeks ago.Asian Metal Copyright However, few deals have been concluded lately. Furthermore, the source revealed some deals were reportedly concluded at prices of only RMB32,000/t(USD4,000/t) ex works or even lower.

Meanwhile, the source revealed that although some small smelters in Lengshuijiang district, Hunan, claimed to quote at RMB33000/t(USD4,125/t) VAT excluded, RMB1,000-2,000/t up compared to the price ten days ago, the domestic antimony ingot market is still showing weakness, with some major producers reducing offers to RMB35,500/t(USD4,438/t) ex works from RMB37,000/t(USD4,625/t) ex works.

Meanwhile, the export market also remains quiet with little business done. A Guangdong-based trader reported to have concluded no deals of antimony ingot during the past three weeks, predicting that the market is unlikely to bounce up in the third quarter.Asian Metal Copyright An official from the smelter revealed that it just reduced offers of its high-quality antimony trioxide to RMB34,000tUSD4,250t ex works from RMB37,000tUSD4,625t two weeks ago.Asian Metal Copyright “We have some stocks of antimony ingot on hand, which were purchased several weeks ago.Asian Metal Copyright A Guangdong-based trader reported to have concluded no deals of antimony ingot during the past three weeks, predicting that the market is unlikely to bounce up in the third quarter.Asian Metal Copyright However, we found it difficult to settle a price with foreign buyers when the market keeps slipping,” said the source. “If there are indeed some transactions, we wouldn’t be surprised if the concluded prices are at around USD4,400-4,500/t FOB.Asian Metal Copyright “We failed to close an export deal at USD4,300t FOB, and the buyer’s counter bid was as low as USD4,100t FOB,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright”

Another antimony trioxide producer from Guangdong agreed, revealing that export market of antimony trioxide also keeps at its downward trend. “We failed to close an export deal at USD4,300/t FOB, and the buyer’s counter bid was as low as USD4,100/t FOB,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright “We failed to close an export deal at USD4,300t FOB, and the buyer’s counter bid was as low as USD4,100t FOB,” said the source.Asian Metal Copyright

Close sources disclosed that large quantities of antimony products were released to the international market through illegal ways, greatly disturbing the development of the antimony market.