Antimony prices stay on a steady course

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 2 Mar 07 - Antimony global market remains quiet with traders looking for business in a spot market with low demand. This will likely keep antimony prices on a downward trend at least through the next week, industry observers said.
In India, merchant price for antimony 99.65%min is quoted at INR280-310/kg for internal market and at USD5,300-5,400/t CIF Nhava Sheva for international market, and antimony trioxide is quoted at INR290-295/kg.
In Europe, at close, price for antimony 99.65%min remained at USD5,400-5,500/t warehouse Rotterdam and for antimony trioxide in a range of USD4,600-4,700/t warehouse Rotterdam.
“Market remains quite, with very little demand,” analyzed a European trader, “End users think prices are high enough and they are inquiring few figures,” and continued, “I only could conclude a deal of 60t of antimony 99.65%min at USD5,380/t CIF UK this week and I don’t have more inquiries for the next week.”
"It is just a temporary lull in the market," one trader commented, “Now I think antimony market would become more active as big consumers would come to the market to buy large quantities,” and continued, “I have few inquiries for this week but I don’t think prices would change drastically, as the market has been stable in Europe for sometime and consumers think prices are already high enough.”
Antimony trioxide market stays quite as well. “Demand from North Europe has dropped and price remains at the same level as last week,“ summarized a major European trader, “Now there are more materials in the spot market from Mexico, but with a lower grade of purity (99.2% min). I mainly import from China and I consider prices are quite high at the moment, so consumers are actively looking for substitutes for antimony,” and continued, ”Some colleagues and I think that demand has tailed off and it may necessitate remedial action by producers to support prices. I didn’t conclude any deal in last week.”