Antimony trioxide market stagnant

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 24 Jul 07 – As no major consumers in the market now, the rising antimony price has not attracted more deals in the market, and remaining consumers are waiting for the price to fall.
A German trader told Asian Metal that antimony market is very quiet in Europe and the offered price he received for 99.5%min Twinkling Star antimony trioxide is USD5,250/t CIF Rotterdam. However, no consumers are interested in such price now.
“Plus, my customers want me to guarantee the material with at least 99.6%min antimony oxide content and with other specific.” According to him, the offers from other source can provide him the specified material at around USD5,000/t CIF Rotterdam, which is also a very high price.
Market is very slow at the moment, the trader thinks it will recover when people come back form holiday, “at beginning or middle of September, depending on where is in Germany.”
An Indian trader received offers from Chinese suppliers at around USD5,050/t CIF Nhava Sheva for regular 99.5%min antimony trioxide, “but the consumers are asking price at around USD4,800/t CIF India, so no one is interested to buy the material now.”
He thinks price is likely to drop if the market keeps dull in India, and rebounds at the same time as the European market.