Antimony trioxide market stable

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 21 Mar 07 – Antimony trioxide market remains stable for both domestic sales and export business, market sources reported to Asian Metal today.
A Hunan-based antimony trioxide smelter revealed that both antimony ingot and trioxide markets did not change much in the past week. “The purchasing price of 99.85% antimony ingot did rise by RMB500-600/t after the Spring Festival and hold at around RMB41,200/t (USD5,323/t) ex works. Therefore, our production cost of antimony trioxide increases accordingly,” said the source, adding that the concluded price of antimony trioxide 99.8% has kept at around RMB37,000/t (USD4,780/t)ex works over the past week after rising from RMB36,500/t (USD4,716/t) ex works.
Yunan Muli Antimony Industry Co.,Ltd, one of the export supplying enterprises for antimony trioxide currently sells at RMB37,000-37,500/t (USD4,780-4,845/t) ex works for its 99.8% antimony trioxide. An official from the company reported that the antimony trioxide market remains stable with demand coming steadily.
“Antimony ingot prices rose a little after the Spring Festival, and we increased our offers of antimony trioxide accordingly. Then the price keeps comparatively stable after the price adjustment,” said the source, believing the market will not change much in the following weeks.
An official from Hsikwangshan Twinkling Star Co.,Ltd., the largest antimony trioxide producer in the world, revealed that its export price for 99.5% antimony trioxide holds at around USD4,800/t FOB.
Due to shortage of raw materials and steady demand, the source revealed that their supply falls short of demand. “Coupled with the high-priced antimony ingot prices, I don’t think the market will decline in the short term,” said the source.
Meanwhile, high-quality antimony ingot is being offered at around RMB41,500/t (USD5,362/t) ex works while some consumers claimed they could purchase at prices RMB200-300/t (USD26-39/t) lower than that level. As long as the antimony ingot market remains unchanged, the antimony trioxide market will not fluctuate greatly, analysts said.