TiO2 market remains in the doldrums, supply divergence persists while prices edge upward slowly [SMM Titanium Spot Express]

SMM, September 2:  

SMM, September 2: The SMM titanium dioxide index was reported at 14,080 yuan/mt. The mainstream range for rutile titanium dioxide was 12,500–14,800 yuan/mt, with an average price of 13,650 yuan/mt; anatase titanium dioxide was quoted at 12,000–13,000 yuan/mt, and chloride-process titanium dioxide at 15,300–17,000 yuan/mt. Prices for all titanium dioxide grades remained stable today.

The titanium dioxide market showed an overall weak and stable pattern today. On the supply side, product differentiation was notable: top-tier players and plants with a solid client base maintained a basic balance between production and sales, with relatively small inventory pressure, and some brands even faced tight supply. Meanwhile, other enterprises experienced poor coordination between production and sales, leading to continuous inventory buildup. To maintain operating rates and digest inventories, they chose to sell at reduced prices, further widening the divergence between market supply and transaction prices. On the demand side, overall weakness persisted, with no concentrated restocking or bulk order deliveries yet, and downstream buyers maintained a wait-and-see sentiment. Although price adjustment moves emerged sporadically in the market, whether actual transactions can improve remains to be seen. Against the backdrop of no clear demand recovery and lingering supply pressure at some enterprises, titanium dioxide prices are expected to maintain a fluctuating trend.