Prices for imported ferro-chrome in Japan and South Korea have risen for the first time since late September, buoyed by ongoing trade flow disruptions.
Fastmarkets' fortnightly price assessment for
ferro-chrome, high carbon, 57-65% Cr, cif dup Japan was $0.73-0.75 per lb on Thursday December 17, up by $0.01-0.03 per lb from $0.70-0.74 per lb on December 3.
Similarly, the fortnightly price assessment for
ferro-chrome, high carbon, 57-65% Cr, cif dup South Korea rose by $0.01-0.03 per lb to $0.72-0.74 per lb on December 17, from $0.69-0.73 per lb two weeks earlier.
Persistently lackluster demand in the Japanese and South Korean ferro-chrome spot markets have put both under pressure since early October, with prices falling by a total of 4% from October 8 to December 3. But the bearishness eased after India's ferro-chrome export market was hit by
a shortage of containers and cargo space.
"We see the freight...