This week, the metal silicon market is weak and difficult to change (1.5-1.9)

According to the analysis of the Business Society’s market monitoring system, on January 9th, the reference price for domestic silicon metal # 441 was 11520 yuan/ton. Compared with January 5th (silicon metal # 441 market price of 11560 yuan/ton), the price decreased by 40 yuan/ton, a decrease of 0.35%. Compared with January 1st (silicon metal # 441 market price of 11690 yuan/ton), the price decreased by 170 yuan/ton, a decrease of 1.45%.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

From the market monitoring system of Shengyi Society, it can be seen that as we enter this week, the overall downward trend of the domestic spot market for silicon metal is difficult to change. The price of silicon metal is still hovering at a low level, and in some areas, the center of gravity of silicon metal continues to move towards a low level, with a price reduction of around 50-100 yuan/ton. As of January 9th, the spot price reference for metallic silicon 441 # in East China is 11400~11600 yuan/ton, with a price reduction of 100 yuan; The market price reference for metal silicon 441 # in Kunming area is 11500~11600 yuan/ton, and the price will be lowered by 100 yuan/ton; The market price reference for metal silicon 441 # in Huangpu Port area is 11400-11500 yuan/ton, with a price reduction of 100 yuan/ton; The market price reference for metal silicon 441 # in Tianjin area is 11300~11500 yuan/ton, with a price reduction of 50 yuan/ton.

 

Analysis of Market Factors

 

In terms of supply and demand: Currently, the overall trading atmosphere in the silicon metal market is light, and the pace of market shipments is not active. There is some supply pressure on the supply side in some regions, and it is difficult for factories to stimulate downstream purchasing enthusiasm even if they actively ship. At present, the downstream market’s demand for purchasing silicon metal has weakened, and the market’s destocking performance is poor. The overall transmission between supply and demand is insufficient, and the contradiction between supply and demand is more obvious.

 

Market analysis in the future

 

At present, the market sentiment in the metal silicon field is still strong, and the pre holiday market stocking sentiment is poor. The mentality of the industry is average. The metal silicon data analyst of Business Society believes that in the short term, the domestic metal silicon market will mainly adjust and operate in a narrow range, and specific changes in supply and demand information need to be paid more attention to.

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PTA prices fluctuated downward in 2024, How will it be in 2025?

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the domestic PTA price fluctuated downward in 2024. As of December 31, the average market price in East China was 4790 yuan/ton, a decrease of 19.22% from the beginning of the year.

 

It can be roughly divided into four stages:

 

From January to early July 2024, PTA prices showed an overall range of fluctuations. Although crude oil surged and fell in the first half of the year, it provided some upward support for PTA costs. With the new production capacity put into operation, PTA supply is abundant. Combined with weak demand performance, downstream procurement maintains essential demand. Under the game of strong cost and weak supply and demand, the PTA price range is consolidating.

From early July to early September, the center of gravity of crude oil prices shifted downwards, and under the multiple pressures of continuous release of new PTA production capacity and supply-demand imbalance, PTA prices experienced a significant decline, with a drop of over 22%.

 

From early September to early October, driven by favorable macroeconomic and crude oil conditions, the PTA price center of gravity significantly recovered upwards, with an increase of over 11%.

 

From early October to December, crude oil rose to the high point of the range and then fell back again. Demand improved but did not have sustainability, and PTA new production capacity was released. Under multiple negative factors, PTA prices adjusted weakly.

 

Compared with 2023, the price trend in the first half of the year is basically consistent, but there is a significant differentiation in the second half of the year. In 2024, there will be a significant decline, and as of the end of the year, it will be at a low level in nearly three years.

 

Looking ahead to 2025:

 

In terms of production capacity, PTA will add 7.5 million tons of new capacity in 2024. As of the end of 2024, the total PTA production capacity will reach 86.02 million tons, with a capacity growth rate of 6.7%. At the same time as adding new production capacity, the process of phasing out outdated production capacity has begun. Some new facilities have stronger cost competitiveness, and some old small-scale long-term shutdown facilities have been phased out. The centralized operation of large-scale PTA plants has promoted the survival of the fittest in the industry, and competition will become increasingly fierce.

 

It is expected that the PTA production capacity will increase by 8.7 million tons in 2025, with a capacity growth rate of 9.9%, and the pressure of growth will be greater than in 2024.

 

In terms of production, the domestic PTA production in 2024 was 71.8 million tons, an increase of 7.58 million tons compared to 2023, with a production growth rate of 11.8%, higher than the capacity growth rate, mainly due to the improved utilization rate of PTA production capacity in 2024. Thanks to the high downstream polyester production, the annual industry average operating rate of PTA is around 82%. The equipment that will be put into operation at the end of 2024 will release production from early next year, and it is expected that the pressure of supply increment will continue to increase in 2025.

 

PTA inventory statistics in recent years

 

From the inventory perspective, PTA inventory in 2024 is significantly higher than in recent years. During the downstream polyester off-season in the first quarter, PTA continued to accumulate inventory, and the maintenance season in the second quarter eased the pressure of accumulated inventory. However, with the restart of the plant and the sluggish polyester peak season, PTA has returned to the accumulation stage. It is expected that by 2025, due to the pressure of PTA production and high operating rates, the pattern of accumulated inventory is likely to be maintained.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

PTA exports will perform well in 2024, with an estimated annual export of around 4.5 million tons, a year-on-year increase of approximately 1 million tons. Mainly due to the growth of exports in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, such as India’s temporary relaxation of BIS certification control in the third quarter of 2024 due to PTA shortage, the export volume surged in July and September, contributing approximately 200000 tons. At present, China’s exports to Southeast Asia and the Middle East are still increasing to a certain extent. However, Türkiye and India have plans to put devices into production in 2025, and the export volume is expected to decline.

 

In terms of cost, in 2024, under the influence of geopolitical, macro, and supply and demand fundamentals, international crude oil prices have emerged from a trend of rising and falling, gradually fluctuating and narrowing. Oil prices have gradually returned to fundamentals, with Brent crude oil falling by 3.58% and WIT crude oil falling by 1.09% throughout the year. The supply-demand balance in 2025 will transition from a tight equilibrium state to a balanced state, mainly based on the current production capacity, combined with moderate growth in future US crude oil supply, and the absence of more intense geopolitical conflicts, taking into account the risk premium. Therefore, the upward range of oil prices is suppressed, and major institutions are relatively pessimistic and conservative about oil prices in 2025.

 

In 2024, the overall PX price showed a downward trend of “sideways, sharp decline, and oscillation”. As of the end of the year, the average price of PX factories in China was 7108 yuan/ton, a decrease of 17.35% from the beginning of the year. The cost support provided by the rise in crude oil prices in the first half of the year, as well as the consolidation of the market under the game of supply and demand contradictions. Subsequently, the collapse of cost support caused by the heavy decline in crude oil and the sluggish demand for oil blending intensified the supply-demand contradiction by switching to aromatics production, resulting in a significant weakening of PX prices. In the fourth quarter, due to the start of annual contract negotiations, there was a strong sense of caution in the market, resulting in slight price fluctuations and consolidation.

 

Starting from the second half of 2023, PX will enter a production vacuum period, and there will be no new production capacity added in 2024. However, due to the higher growth rate of downstream PTA demand for PX in China, the industry’s annual production capacity rate has increased to a relatively high level of 86%. The growth rate of PX production capacity in 2025 is still relatively low. There is only one set of equipment in China with a total production capacity of 3 million tons. After production, the total domestic production capacity will reach 46.67 million tons per year, with a production capacity growth rate of 6.9%. However, due to the lack of approval for this equipment, there is still significant uncertainty in the production time. In terms of supply, considering the current low profit pattern of the industry and the regular maintenance losses within the year, the annual supply increment is very limited. At the same time, multiple downstream PTA units are expected to be put into operation in the first half of the year, so the PX supply and demand pattern will continue to improve in 2025.

 

Downstream polyester products follow the fluctuation of raw material prices, showing a trend of first rising and then falling in 2024. Among them, polyester staple fiber (1.4D * 38mm) fell by 5.13%, polyester DTY (150D/48F low elasticity) fell by 6.87%, polyester POY (150D/48F) fell by 8.39%, and polyester FDY (150D/96F) fell by 9.86%.

 

In 2024, a total of 5.55 million tons of polyester production capacity will be added (excluding obsolete production capacity), and the total production capacity will reach 85.39 million tons by the end of the year, with a production capacity growth rate of 7.7%, which is slower than in 2023. Looking at 2025, the polyester industry will continue to have new production capacity entering, with a planned production of 5.14 million tons. It is expected that the polyester production capacity will reach around 90.53 million tons by the end of 2025, with a capacity growth rate of 6%. Compared to 2024, the overall growth rate will slow down, and the actual production capacity will be lower than the planned capacity. Therefore, the actual growth rate remains to be observed.

 

From a product perspective, the planned production of polyester filament is 1.75 million tons, and the total production capacity is expected to reach 54.33 million tons by 2025, with a capacity growth rate of 3.3%. The planned production of polyester staple fiber is 100000 tons, and the total production capacity is expected to reach 9.605 million tons by 2025, with a capacity growth rate of 1%. The planned production of polyester bottle flakes is 2.6 million tons, and the total production capacity is expected to reach 22.63 million tons by 2024, with a capacity growth rate of 12.9%. The remaining newly added production capacity is polyester film.

 

In 2024, the overall production capacity of the polyester production process is relatively large, and the output growth rate is still high. The capacity utilization rate of the polyester industry for the whole year is around 86%, which is at a relatively high level in recent years. In 2025, the growth rate of production capacity for polyester filament and staple fibers will still be relatively low, which can maintain a high level of operation. However, there may be a risk of temporary load reduction due to excessive inventory. Due to the delay in the production of multiple units from 2024 to 2025, the overall production pressure of Huanpian is still high. Coupled with low profits and high inventory, the expected production pressure has decreased.

 

In recent years, with the cost advantage of raw materials in China’s production and the partial relocation of the industrial chain in the terminal weaving process, there has been a supply gap in external weaving raw materials, resulting in a remarkable growth rate of polyester exports compared to domestic demand. From January to October 2024, polyester exports amounted to 10.42 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 13.4%. The main products exported are polyester filament, staple fiber, and bottle flakes. Among them, the cumulative export volume of bottle flakes and staple fiber will increase by more than 20% in 2024, maintaining a good growth momentum. However, the export volume of polyester filament is expected to decline by 4.5% year-on-year, mainly due to the significant increase in exports caused by early stocking under the Indian BIS certification in 2023. The trade friction may further escalate in 2025, and companies need to consider how to deal with the uncertain factors of the export situation.

 

From the perspective of the weaving process, taking into account the negative factors before the Spring Festival in 2024, the average operating rate may be around 65%, which is comparable to 2023 as a whole. From a seasonal perspective, the operating rate is relatively high from March to June. In summer, due to the influence of off-season and temperature, the operating rate decreases. After September, it enters a seasonal improvement stage, and in October, the operating rate rises to the highest point of the year. In November, it gradually enters the off-season load.

 

In terms of textile terminals, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that from January to November 2024, the industrial added value of textile enterprises above designated size increased by 4.4% year-on-year, with operating revenue of 445.205 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.2%; The total profit was 158.57 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.0%. The production of yarn, fabric, and synthetic fiber in textile enterprises above designated size increased by 0.3%, 1.0%, and 8.7% respectively year-on-year.

 

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to November 2024, the retail sales of clothing, shoes, hats, and needle textiles in China reached 1307.3 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 0.4%.

 

According to the General Administration of Customs, from January to November 2024, China’s textile and clothing exports totaled 273.06 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 2%. Among them, textile exports were 128.84 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%, and clothing exports were 144.22 billion US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 0.2%. The consumer market continues to heat up, with good growth in retail sales and an overall positive export situation. We need to pay attention to changes in domestic and international policies in 2025.

 

Business analysts predict that PTA prices will generally exhibit a “inverted V” trend in 2025. The pressure of self supply will continue throughout the year, becoming a resistance to the rise in PTA prices. In the first half of the year, geopolitical tensions persisted, and the Federal Reserve continued to cut interest rates. There were expectations of an increase in international crude oil prices, supported by favorable PTA costs. And with the boost of the peak demand season, PTA prices have fluctuated and risen. In the second half of the year, as PTA new production capacity gradually releases excess supply, the supply-demand contradiction will further highlight, and PTA prices will fluctuate and fall.

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Limited fundamental changes, PC prices stabilized in early January

Price trend

 

According to the bulk ranking data from Shengyi Society, the domestic PC market was consolidating and operating in early January, with limited changes in spot prices for most brands. As of January 7th, the mixed benchmark price of Business Society PC is around 16500 yuan/ton, with a price increase or decrease of -0.10% compared to January 1st.

 

Cause analysis

 

Supply side: In early January, the load changes of domestic PC aggregation enterprises were very limited, and the industry average operating rate was slightly adjusted from 78% at the end of December to 77.5%. The average weekly production remains at a super high level of over 60000 tons, and the on-site supply is still abundant, with no change in the supply-demand mismatch pattern. The high inventory has led to cautious pricing by manufacturers, while the market supply side has provided average support for PC prices.

 

In terms of raw materials: From the above chart, it can be seen that after the significant recovery of bisphenol A in December, the bulls have gradually exhausted recently, and downstream demand is running steadily. The upward movement of bisphenol A prices is hindered, and after falling back, it runs sideways. The support for PC cost has weakened.

 

On the demand side: The PC consumption pattern has been weak for a long time, and the overall trend continues to be weak at the end of last year. Previously, some export orders were placed in advance in the market, and currently the overall logic of weak rigid demand procurement continues, with industry players showing a wait-and-see attitude. As the end of the lunar calendar approaches, downstream factories are taking over goods to maintain production, and buyers are resistant to high priced goods. Therefore, purchasing and chasing price increases should be cautious. The slow circulation of goods in the market has limited changes, and the demand side has poor support for PC spot prices.

 

Future forecast

 

At the beginning of January, the PC market remained stable with small fluctuations. The upstream bisphenol A market is currently stagnant and consolidating, maintaining support for PC costs. The load of domestic PC aggregation plants has basically leveled off, and the supply level remains at a high level. The high level of inventory in the industry has limited changes, and there has been no substantial improvement in supply pressure. The downstream stocking pattern has not changed, making it difficult to drive market trends. Business Society believes that the high raw material prices in the early stage have led to a high cost value of PC currently. However, due to the continued loose supply of goods in the market, the market may continue to consolidate weakly.

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Maintain stability in the adhesive short fiber market

Last week (December 27, 2024- January 5, 2025), the adhesive short fiber market maintained stable operation. The price trend of upstream raw material market has slightly declined, the cost side support has weakened, the supply in the market has increased narrowly, the purchasing enthusiasm of downstream factories is not high, and they are holding onto the demand for replenishment in multiple aspects. Operators mainly execute the previous contracts, and the price of adhesive short fiber market has been consolidating horizontally.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, as of January 5th, the average market price of viscose staple fiber was 13820 yuan/ton, which was the same as the same period last week.

 

Cost of raw materials: Last week (December 27, 2024- January 5, 2025), there was little change in the market price of raw material dissolution slurry, while the prices of auxiliary liquid alkali and sulfuric acid markets fell to varying degrees. The center of gravity of raw material market prices fell, and the average production cost of adhesive short fibers significantly decreased.

 

Supply inventory: Last week (December 27, 2024- January 5, 2025). The operating rate of the adhesive short fiber industry remains at around 86.3%, with a slight increase in production compared to last week. During the week, the pre maintenance equipment for adhesive short fibers in Shandong region has resumed full load operation, and the on-site supply has increased; In addition, the early orders on site are coming to an end, and the enthusiasm for replenishment in downstream markets is not high, resulting in a slowdown in the overall flow of goods and a significant increase in inventory levels.

 

On the demand side: The downstream cotton yarn market has a strong wait-and-see atmosphere, with prices remaining stagnant and consolidating. Although we are at a new stage of signing contracts, the demand in the end market is weak, downstream yarn companies have insufficient orders, yarn manufacturers are holding onto essential orders in multiple dimensions, and purchasing enthusiasm is difficult to increase. It is difficult to find favorable support from the demand side.

 

Market forecast:

 

The main material dissolution slurry market and auxiliary material liquid alkali market may be in consolidation operation in the later stage, and there is a downward expectation in the sulfuric acid market; Supply and demand side: The adhesive short fiber market is expected to maintain stable operation, with high on-site supply and increased inventory levels. In the short term, the performance of the adhesive short fiber supply side is still acceptable; The demand in the terminal market is weak, coupled with the approaching Spring Festival holiday, downstream yarn factories or multiple parties may hold onto the demand side and sign contracts, making it difficult for the demand side to have favorable support. Overall, the main raw material market is expected to operate steadily, with limited support on the cost side. Downstream cotton yarn factories are signing orders as needed, making it difficult for the demand side to improve significantly. With mixed news on the market, analysts from Shengyi Society predict that the focus of the domestic viscose staple fiber market will shift downward in the short term, with a decline expected to be between 100-300 yuan/ton.

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Copper prices fell slightly this week (12.30-1.3)

1、 Trend analysis

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

Copper prices have slightly decreased this week. As of this weekend, the spot copper quotation is 73270 yuan/ton, a decrease of 1.25% from 74196.67 yuan/ton at the beginning of the week and a year-on-year increase of 6.29%.

 

According to the weekly rise and fall chart of Shengyi Society, in the past three months, copper prices have fallen by 9 and risen by 3, with a slight decrease this week.

 

LME copper inventory

 

According to data released by the London Metal Exchange (LME). LME copper inventory slightly decreased, with 271350 tons of LME copper inventory as of the weekend, down 0.02% from the beginning of the week.

 

Macroscopically, data released by the US Department of Labor on Thursday evening showed that the number of initial jobless claims in the US fell to an 8-month low last week, and the number of renewed jobless claims also dropped to a 3-month low of 1.844 million. This data reflects the relatively small scale of layoffs in the US labor market, demonstrating surprising resilience. As a result, the US dollar exchange rate has significantly strengthened to a new two-year high, putting significant pressure on industrial metals as a whole, as the strengthening of the US dollar means that metals denominated in US dollars are more expensive for buyers holding other currencies.

 

Supply side: The tight situation on the raw material side has not changed, with copper concentrate processing fees remaining low and crude copper processing fees decreasing. The completion of maintenance in domestic smelters and the demand for production recovery have brought incremental growth to electrolytic copper.

 

On the demand side: The Chinese New Year holiday is approaching in the domestic market, gradually entering the off-season of consumption, and downstream consumption is gradually weakening. The seasonal off-season has led to a buildup of inventory in the domestic market.

 

In summary, there is a lack of macro news in overseas markets, and although favorable domestic policies have curbed the decline in copper prices, weak post holiday consumption expectations have put pressure on copper prices. Therefore, copper prices still face downward pressure in the short term.

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Supply increment falls short of expectations. PP market in December is consolidating narrowly

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the PP market in December was mainly sorted out, and the price changes of most brand products were relatively narrow. As of December 31st, the mainstream offer price for wire drawing by domestic producers and traders is around 7646.67 yuan/ton, which has increased or decreased by 0.33% compared to the price level at the beginning of November.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

Price trend

 

In terms of raw materials:

 

In terms of international crude oil, the supply risk has increased due to the geopolitical situation in Syria. At the same time, the positive impact of the OPEC+production reduction plan delay is still present, coupled with the expectation of increased demand in Asia, international oil prices fluctuated and rose in the first half of December. At the end of the month, the US dollar strengthened and consumption contracted, which loosened the upstream support for PP in the far end. In terms of propylene, the domestic supply in North China was initially tight and then eased, and the favorable supply weakened, causing prices to rise first and then fall. Propane follows the trend of crude oil and runs steadily, while PDH remains stable due to its influence. Overall, the PP raw material market in December showed mixed ups and downs, and the cost side support was still strong.

 

Supply side:

 

In December, there was a mutual occurrence of maintenance and production in domestic PP enterprises, and the overall load level showed a slow upward trend. Jincheng Petrochemical, Dalian Hengli and other enterprises have newly put into operation facilities, but some of them have stopped again after being put into operation. At the end of the month, maintenance tasks for enterprises such as Zhongyue Haitian Petrochemical have gradually returned. Overall, the industry’s overall load has decreased from 68% in the first half of the month to around 78%. The domestic PP shipment volume has increased, and the average weekly production at the end of the month has rebounded to around 720000 tons. Although some newly put into operation facilities are unstable, the supply is still abundant. Overall, the supply side provides average support for PP spot prices.

 

In terms of demand:

 

The demand side of PP in December is biased towards rigid demand. Due to seasonal factors, the consumption level of woven bags such as fertilizers, cement, and rice remained stable with a slight decrease during the first ten days. The consumption level of plastic weaving has also declined narrowly, and the willingness to hold positions has cooled down; As the end of the year approaches, the decline in enterprise construction and stocking up are intertwined. The slow release of some pre holiday replenishment demand has to some extent boosted consumption. Overall, the demand side tends to have weak fluctuations in most aspects.

 

Future forecast

 

The domestic PP market prices remained stable in December. Fundamentally speaking, the overall performance of upstream raw materials in supporting PP is still acceptable. The supply within the range is relatively high. According to consumer feedback, businesses are cautious about future terminal consumption and tend to focus on restocking for essential needs. In the short term, it is expected that PP prices will remain stagnant.

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The market trend of butadiene rubber in December first rose and then fell

The butadiene rubber market in December showed an upward trend in the early stage, but fell back from its peak at the end of the month. According to the commodity market analysis system of Shengyi Society, as of December 31, the butadiene rubber market price in East China was 13720 yuan/ton, an increase of 2.54% from 13380 yuan/ton at the beginning of December, and the high point during the cycle was 13920 yuan/ton. The price of raw material butadiene has significantly increased, and the cost center of butadiene rubber has shifted upwards; Shunding rubber production has increased, and supply pressure is expected to increase; Downstream tire production has steadily increased slightly, providing strong support for the demand for butadiene rubber., As of December 31st, the mainstream prices for Qilu, Daqing, Sichuan, and Yangtze Shunding in East China were 13650-13850 yuan/ton.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

Since December, the price of butadiene has significantly increased, and the cost center of butadiene rubber has shifted upward. According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, as of December 31st, the price of butadiene was 10800 yuan/ton, an increase of 11.05% from 9725 yuan/ton at the beginning of December.

 

In December, the construction of domestic butadiene rubber plants increased to around 7.7%, and the supply pressure of butadiene rubber will slightly increase in the later period.

 

Demand side: Since December, downstream tire production has remained stable with a slight increase, and demand is supported by the strong demand in the butadiene rubber market. As of December 31st, the operating load of semi steel tires in domestic tire enterprises was around 7.9%; The operating load of all steel tires in Shandong tire enterprises has slightly increased to about 6.20%.

 

Market forecast: From a fundamental perspective, analysts from Shengyi Society believe that the price of raw material butadiene has significantly increased, and the cost support for butadiene rubber remains strong; The production of butadiene rubber has slightly increased, and the pressure on the supply side has increased; The current downstream tire production is stable with slight fluctuations, and overall, the market for Shunding rubber is expected to fluctuate and consolidate in the short term.

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Tin prices fluctuated and rose slightly in December, showing signs of fatigue

According to the monitoring of the commodity market analysis system of Shengyi Society, the 1 # tin ingot market in East China has risen this month (12.1-12.30), with an average market price of 239800 yuan/ton at the beginning of the month and 244910 yuan/ton at the end of the month, a monthly increase of 2.13%.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

At the beginning of December, tin prices showed a fluctuating upward trend, and began to decline in mid December, stabilizing and oscillating towards the end of the month. Macroscopically, the uncertainty will increase next year, and there is currently no clear guidance on the trend of tin prices.

 

At the mining end, Myanmar’s imports of tin ore have not yet recovered this month, and domestic mines have not significantly increased production, resulting in a low supply of tin ore.

 

On the refining end, although there has been no significant increase in the mining end, it has been affected by the replenishment of recycled tin, resulting in a high operating rate of tin ingots throughout the year and a historically high production of refined tin. With the recent recovery of Indonesian exports and a significant increase in domestic imports, the supply of refined tin has increased significantly.

 

On the demand side, in the short term, due to the downward consolidation of prices, downstream consumption performance slightly exceeded expectations, and overall demand growth has been maintained. The semiconductor industry is in an upward cycle, which supports demand. The demand for photovoltaics continues to weaken. Pay attention to the impact of changes in foreign tariff policies on tin demand.

 

Overall, the trend of tin prices will depend on the combined effect of multiple factors. On the one hand, with the recovery of the global economy and the development of emerging fields, the demand for tin is expected to continue to increase. On the other hand, the production capacity of tin will continue to increase, and the uncertainty on the supply side may have an impact on tin prices. It is expected that the tin price will show a weak and fluctuating trend, showing a slight fatigue, and the upward driving force is not obvious.

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Tin prices have slightly fallen this week

According to the monitoring of the commodity market analysis system of Shengyi Society, the 1 # tin ingot market in East China fell this week (12.23-12.27), with an average market price of 244720 yuan/ton at the beginning of the week and 244660 yuan/ton at the end of the week, a decrease of 0.02%.

 

The overall tin price has slightly decreased this week. Starting this week, tin prices have shown a narrow range of fluctuations both internally and externally. From a macro perspective, during the overseas Christmas holiday this week, the overall foreign market was sluggish. The US dollar index continued to fluctuate at a high level during the week, and the non-ferrous metal sector was generally under pressure.

 

Fundamentally, the overseas mining sector continues to be tense, providing support for tin prices below. The performance of terminal consumption has not changed significantly and continues to be weak. Most downstream customers maintain their essential purchases, and market transactions are average. The inventory status has slowed down during the week.

 

Based on comprehensive analysis, due to the support of tin inventory on prices, coupled with the possibility of Myanmar’s tin mine resuming production less than expected, the supply after resuming production may not reach the level before the shutdown. It is expected that the center of gravity of tin prices will remain high and continue to fluctuate within the range next week.

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Magnesium prices slightly decline in December, bottoming out and stabilizing

According to the monitoring of the commodity market analysis system of Shengyi Society, the magnesium ingot market in Shaanxi Province has slightly declined, with an average market price of 16266 yuan/ton at the end of the month and 16466 yuan/ton at the beginning of the month, a decrease of 1.21%.

 

Gamma-PGA (gamma polyglutamic acid)

This month’s market analysis

 

In the last month of 2024, the magnesium market is still in a downward consolidation phase. As of today, the ex factory price of Fugu magnesium ingots remains between 16000-16300 yuan/ton. In the last week, magnesium prices remained stable, bottoming out and stabilizing.

 

Supply and demand side

On the one hand, as Christmas approaches, the purchasing willingness of foreign customers decreases, coupled with existing inventory pressure, the market presents a certain degree of loose supply and demand. On the other hand, the domestic market still has strong demand support, especially with the development of industries such as new energy vehicles and aerospace. The application scenarios of magnesium continue to expand, and factories have a clear willingness to raise prices under cost pressure.

 

In addition, the weakness of the raw material market, especially under the price fluctuations of metals closely related to the magnesium market such as aluminum and zinc, still puts competitive pressure on magnesium. At the same time, the uncertainty of the global economic recovery rate has put pressure on many magnesium production companies to operate at a loss, forcing them to remain cautious in pricing.

 

In terms of raw materials

Raw material ferrosilicon, the spot market for ferrosilicon is not volatile, and the progress of steel procurement is slow. Under the influence of the emotional season, the enthusiasm for retail inquiries and purchases is not high, and the market demand is mainly based on essential needs. According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, on December 23rd, ferrosilicon (brand: FeSi75~B; The market price for grain size grade/mm: natural block in Ningxia region ranges from 5950-6100 yuan/ton, with an average market price of 6070 yuan/ton.

 

Raw material blue charcoal, the national blue charcoal market price is weak, downstream mainstream calcium carbide enterprises have lowered the purchase price of small and medium-sized blue charcoal materials by 50 yuan/ton, and the market has gradually implemented the reduction. There are some low-priced sources of goods, and the coke face has also experienced a 10-30% reduction in cost. As of December 20th, the mainstream prices for small and medium-sized materials in the Shenmu market are 745-870 yuan/ton, and 560-640 yuan/ton for coke surface; The mainstream prices for small and medium-sized materials in the Fugu market are 800-950 yuan/ton, and 600-700 yuan/ton for coke surface; The mainstream price of coke in the Zhongwei market is 600 yuan/ton; Shizuishan market mixed material costs 620 yuan/ton; The price of small and medium-sized materials in the Ordos market is 785-850 yuan/ton, and the price of coke surface is 650-750 yuan/ton; The price of small and medium-sized materials in Hohhot market is 860-870 yuan/ton, and the price of coke surface is 720 yuan/ton; The price of small and medium-sized materials in Hami market is 920-1050 yuan/ton, coke surface is 380-1050 yuan/ton, and mixed materials are 220-360 yuan/ton; The price of small and medium-sized materials in Changji market is 850-1220 yuan/ton, and the price of coke surface is 550 yuan/ton, all of which are ex factory cash prices including tax; The prices of small and medium-sized materials such as blue charcoal at Tianjin Port are 1050-1160 yuan/ton, and coke face is 835-950 yuan/ton, both of which are cash inclusive of taxes at the port closing price; Yumen Blue Charcoal currently has a small material price of 280-550 yuan/ton, a coke surface price of 395-690 yuan/ton, a coke powder price of 570-590 yuan/ton, and a rice material price of 425-450 yuan/ton, all of which are cash inclusive of tax at the factory price.

 

Future forecast

 

In summary, although the magnesium market is currently facing difficulties in falling further due to the cost line, there has not been a significant increase in demand. We are gradually stabilizing, but we still need to closely monitor market dynamics, especially supply chain, cost changes, and the recovery of international market demand.

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