Market Trend of Import of Ferroalloy in Japan as of 29 February 2016

  • Friday, March 4, 2016
  • Source:中国铁合金网

  • Keywords:ferroalloy SiMn FeMn FeSi
[Fellow]In the Indian domestic market, the producers are asking for an increase in the offer price because the price of imported manganese ore for March shipment will go up, but the price is up by US$10 - US$15 per ton from the end of January in the face of pressure f...
= Atmosphere of anticipation of price fall is strong in ferroalloy market =
The market trend of import of ferroalloy as of 29 February 2016 is as follows.

<> Silicon Metal = The price of silicon metal in China hit the bottom in the middle of December and took an upward turn. The price of low-grade product of 5.5.3 grade is up by CNY200 per ton from the end of January and the prices of 3303 and 2202 grades are also up by CNY100 - CNY200. This is thought to be due to the distribution inventory in the market getting scarce slightly as a result of the fact that the customers restarted operation earlier than the producers of silicon metal after Chinese New Year Holidays finished. 

In Japan, many of the shippers have a feeling of an anticipation of a price hike, but no confidence and the future is still unclear. As the price in China went up this time, many of the shippers are thinking to raise an offer price, but can't read at the moment how far Japanese customers will accept the price increase as the demand meant for the aluminium industry in the period from April to June is anticipated to be weak. 

<> Ferro-silicon = The price of ferro-silicon with Si being 75% in China which is equal to JIS2 is CNY4,400 - CNY4,600 per ton in the shape of ingot, and has no big change but the lower price begins to collapse. Many of major producers are desiring to maintain the price, but as small and medium-sized producers which restarted operation are accepting the order for the products to be shipped from the plant in March, the number of the customers which buy at a high price seem to be decreasing.

In Japan, the scarcity of the products distributed in the market is still going on, but it has come up to the surface in the market that the roundabout products via Vietnam will be distributed again in the latter half of March or April. However, the shippers of regularly-exported products are aggressive and held the price at the end of January. The price of products distributed in the market stopped rising, and is down by US$5 from the middle of February.

The price of Russian product continues to decline against a background of a weak ruble, and both offer and contract prices are down by US$40 from the end of January. There seems to be a case the price cut range is a bit more as a volume discount, which however depends on the shipper.

<> Silico Manganese = In the Indian domestic market, the producers are asking for an increase in the offer price because the price of imported manganese ore for March shipment will go up, but the price is up by US$10 - US$15 per ton from the end of January in the face of pressure from continuing weak rupee.

In the Japanese market, some of the steel mills which finished the price determination for the period from April to June as part of the long-term contract are appearing, and as to the spot goods, partly because it was difficult to secure the domestic inventory that could be delivered immediately, the price is up by around US$15 from the end of January. Some of the customers have a feeling of an anticipation of a price hike, and such a case has been sporadically seen as the purchase quantity is more than 2 months.

The price in the Chinese domestic market continued to be gradually increasing and rose by CNY300 per ton from the end of January. The producers of silico manganese continue to submit an aggressive offer because the price of manganese ore as March shipment as raw materials was up and the current prices of steel products made a recovery.

For a reference, as to the imposition of the antidumping (AD) duty on Indian silico manganese in Europe, the scheduled date for the announcement of final decision remains unchanged from March 19. Besides, ITC's investigation on the antidumping duty (AD) on Australian silico manganese seems to be going on in the U.S.

 

  • [Editor:Sophie]

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