China's lead usage will fall by 1.1% in 2019 due to declining automotive production and increased use of lithium-ion batteries in motorcycle and e-bike sectors as well in uninterruptable power supply stationary backup systems, according to the International Lead & Zinc Study Group (ILZSG).
Additionally, a further 0.5% reduction in Chinese demand is anticipated in 2020, ILZSG said on Monday October 28.Fastmarkets assessed the lead spot concentrate treatment charge (TC), low silver, cif China at $125-145 per tonne on Friday October 25, a sharp increase from September's assessment of $80-100 per tonne.The lead spot concentrate TC, high silver, cif China was assessed at $135-160 per tonne on October 25, up from $100-120 per tonne a month earlier.Global demand for refined lead is forecast to fall by 0.5% to 11.81 million tonnes this year and to rise by 0.8% to 11.90 million tonnes in 2020, ILZSG said.Underperformance in the auto sector in Europe and the United States is expected to result in a 0.7% decrease in lead usage in 2019. In the US, battery shipments declined by more than 3% between January and August compared with the same period of 2018. Despite these headwinds, refined...