SHANGHAI, Jun. 11 (SMM) - China’s zinc ingot inventories during January-May increased about 107,000 tonnes from late 2014, while those during the same period last year fell some 80,000 tonnes from late 2013. Is China’s zinc demand really weakening?
In fact, China’s zinc ingot consumption in the first five months of this year grew about 4% year-on-year, or nearly 100,000 tonnes, enanchu.com reports.
China’s zinc supply is expected to have hiked 285,000 tonnes in the first five months of this year, enanchu.com predicts.
Domestic refined zinc output between January and May this year is estimated to have grown 250,000 tonnes year-on-year on high operating rates at zinc smelters from ample zinc concentrate supply and high zinc prices and zinc concentrate TCs.
Inflows of imported zinc in the first four months of this year also increased 35,000 tonnes from the same period last year, resulting from improved import profit and weakening demand for finance-driven imports. Imports between January-April 2014, most of which were made for financing purpose, however, were largely held in bonded zone from import losses since December 2013. Zinc imports in May are expected to see no growth, though.
Zinc inventories in the first five months of this year climbed 187,000 tonnes from the same period last year, enanchu.com data show.
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