Supply tightness pushed European antimony prices higher again over the past week, while the Chinese market was quiet with most consumers adopting a wait-and-see stance following the break for Chinese New Year.
The European antimony market strengthened again this past week, with many sellers reluctant to part with material ahead of any further increases prompted by recovering Chinese demand. But some market participants expect prices to fall back with China's return, on softer-than-forecast demand.Metal Bulletin assessed MMTA standard grade II antimony in-warehouse Rotterdam prices at $8,600-8,800 per tonne on Friday March 2, having reached that level earlier in the week, from the previous assessment of $8,400-8,600 per tonne on February 23. Trioxide grade antimony prices, in-warehouse Rotterdam, were assessed at $8,650-8,800 per tonne on March 2, up from the previous week's assessment of $8,500-8,800 per tonne. China's break for New Year (February 15-21) was one of several factors contributing to a tight market, along with snowy weather there, the closure of the China-Vietnam border,...