October 13 Scrap Battery Market Transaction Summary [SMM Daily Review]

SMM, October 13:

Quotes for domestic waste lead-acid batteries were mostly flat today, with purchase prices at most smelters holding steady and only a very few edging lower. Lead prices have rebounded somewhat recently, and suppliers holding inventory at retail outlets have become less willing to sell. Recyclers generally reported fewer inquiries and offers today. Recyclers maintained a fast-in, fast-out approach, avoiding stockpiling or betting on price increases, and were unwilling to raise purchase prices to secure material. Overall purchase volumes have been moderate recently, with an unstable pace of collection that often alternates between good and poor days. Arrivals of scrap battery raw materials at smelters were generally stable today. One smelter in central China, driven by price-guarantee rules, saw concentrated arrivals of nearly 100 vehicles of scrap battery raw materials today, which was an isolated case. In the short term, scrap battery prices are expected to remain narrowly stable along with lead prices. With recyclers maintaining fast-in, fast-out operations and retail outlets holding prices firm while holding back from selling, trading is likely to remain largely steady. Going forward, attention should focus on whether the lead price rebound can be sustained and transmitted to scrap batteries, the pace of smelters' digestion of scrap battery raw material inventories, and the release of supply from retail outlets as retirement volumes recover after the weather turns cooler.