Cobalt powder market expected to warm up
2012-12-25 09:01:56 [Print]
BEIJING (Asian Metal) 25 Dec 12 – According to sources, cobalt powder market moves slowly at the present time and most market insiders think that the market will probably pick up after the New Year’s Day holiday. As the Spring Festival holiday will come in February, most consumers will replenish goods in January to prepare raw materials for the production after the Spring Festival holiday.
A producer in Guangdong, whose output is about 100tpm, reported to Asian Metal that most of their deals are made at around RMB240-245/kg (USD38.16-38.95/kg) and most consumers think that cobalt price has been close to the bottom, so he thinks that cobalt powder market will warm up after the New Year’s Day holiday though demand from cemented carbide and diamond tools industries remains weak for the time being.
According to him, the new generation of government is expected to take measures to boost the economy in 2013, so he hopes to see a recovery economy next year, which will pick up the markets of cemented carbide and diamond tools.
A cemented carbide producer in Guangdong confirms that demand has not picked up yet so far and cemented carbide market moves slowly. He disclosed that they bought several tons of cobalt powder at RMB250/kg (USD39.75/kg) one month ago, and they hold five tons on hand. The source, whose consumption of cobalt powder is about three to four tons per month on average, reported that they usually purchase cobalt powder according to orders.
At the moment, he thinks cobalt powder price has bottomed out, so he would like to replenish stock after the New Year’s Day holiday. “I think some other cemented carbide producers will also buy raw materials in January because the Spring Festival holiday will arrive in the first half of February,” he expressed.
A producer in Guangdong, whose output is about 100tpm, reported to Asian Metal that most of their deals are made at around RMB240-245/kg (USD38.16-38.95/kg) and most consumers think that cobalt price has been close to the bottom, so he thinks that cobalt powder market will warm up after the New Year’s Day holiday though demand from cemented carbide and diamond tools industries remains weak for the time being.
According to him, the new generation of government is expected to take measures to boost the economy in 2013, so he hopes to see a recovery economy next year, which will pick up the markets of cemented carbide and diamond tools.
A cemented carbide producer in Guangdong confirms that demand has not picked up yet so far and cemented carbide market moves slowly. He disclosed that they bought several tons of cobalt powder at RMB250/kg (USD39.75/kg) one month ago, and they hold five tons on hand. The source, whose consumption of cobalt powder is about three to four tons per month on average, reported that they usually purchase cobalt powder according to orders.
At the moment, he thinks cobalt powder price has bottomed out, so he would like to replenish stock after the New Year’s Day holiday. “I think some other cemented carbide producers will also buy raw materials in January because the Spring Festival holiday will arrive in the first half of February,” he expressed.
Cobalt Powder 99.5%min Delivered China
Unit:RMB/kg
China cobalt powder producers' inventory to production ratio statistics by province by month
Unit: %
