Pr-Nd Prices Recover Slightly; Medium-Heavy Rare Earth Prices Remain in the Doldrums [SMM Rare Earth Daily Review]

SMM, August 14: Rare earth market prices were mixed today. Specifically, in the oxide market, Pr-Nd oxide prices rose by 7,000 yuan/mt; dysprosium oxide prices were flat; terbium oxide prices fell by 15,000 yuan/mt; gadolinium oxide prices fell by 2,000 yuan/mt; holmium oxide prices were flat; and erbium oxide prices were flat.

In the metal market, Pr-Nd alloy prices rose by 2,500 yuan/mt; dysprosium-iron alloy prices were flat; terbium metal prices fell by 50,000 yuan/mt; gadolinium-iron alloy prices fell by 1,500 yuan/mt; holmium-iron market prices were flat; and lanthanum-cerium metal (alloy grade) prices were flat.

In markets outside China this week, the FOB price of praseodymium oxide held steady; the FOB price of neodymium oxide fell by $10/kg; the FOB price of terbium oxide fell by $8/kg; the FOB price of dysprosium oxide was flat; the price of Pr-Nd oxide (FOB China) fell by $3/kg; the FOB price of praseodymium metal fell by $4/kg; the FOB price of neodymium metal fell by $4/kg; the FOB price of terbium metal fell by $8/kg; and the price of Pr-Nd alloy (FOB China) was flat.

At present, rare earth market prices were mixed: Pr-Nd prices recovered slightly, while medium-heavy rare earth prices remained in the doldrums.

Focusing on the Pr-Nd market, as Pr-Nd oxide futures prices recovered, low-priced supply in the market tightened, suppliers raised their offers slightly, which drove Pr-Nd oxide prices to rebound somewhat. In the metal market, driven by higher oxide prices, some suppliers raised their offers in tandem, but some metal enterprises had strong wait-and-see sentiment and chose to suspend offers to observe trading developments, limiting the actual increase in Pr-Nd alloy prices.

In the medium-heavy rare earth market, inquiries remained sluggish. Suppliers slightly lowered their offers for terbium and gadolinium products, while offers for dysprosium and holmium products were little changed; overall prices remained in the doldrums.

Overall, wait-and-see sentiment in the rare earth market remained strong, and prices were mixed: Pr-Nd product prices were slightly raised, driven by the recovery in futures, while medium-heavy rare earth product prices remained in the doldrums due to insufficient demand support. In the near term, as market trading activity gradually recovers, Pr-Nd product prices are expected to stop falling and rise.