MMi Daily Iron Ore Report (March 18)

[Silicon Metal Supply and Demand Roughly Balanced, Spot Prices Stagnant and Stable]: On the supply side, silicon metal production saw a slight WoW increase, driven by production ramp-ups in Xinjiang. In April, silicon metal supply and demand were in tight balance. The key supply-demand imbalance lay in constrained end-use demand, as downstream sectors such as polysilicon and silicone were unlikely to see sustained and significant demand growth. The supply-demand relationship largely depended on adjustments in operating rates of silicon enterprises on the supply side. Spot silicon metal lacked upward momentum, with prices continuing to fluctuate and consolidate.

[SMM Silicone Weekly Review: Silicone DMC Prices Continued to Rise, Market Trading Pace Driven by Rigid Demand] Spot silicone DMC in China was mainly traded at 14,700-14,800 yuan/mt this week, with the weekly average transaction price up 100 yuan/mt WoW. The sustained price increase in this round was driven not only by earlier raw material cost rises but also by tightening industry supply, which further constrained spot cargo circulation in the market and pushed prices higher.