Titanium Dioxide Prices Rose Strongly, Titanium Ore Came Under Pressure and Pulled Back, with Cost Support and Inventory Dynamics Dominating the Market [SMM Titanium Spot Flash Report]

SMM News, March 30:

Titanium Dioxide Market: Prices Continued to Rise, with Strong Cost Support

Prices in China’s titanium dioxide market continued to trend upward. Mainstream quotations for anatase titanium dioxide stood at 13,800-14,200 yuan/mt, with an average price of 14,000 yuan/mt, up 400 yuan/mt from the previous working day; rutile titanium dioxide was quoted at 14,500-15,800 yuan/mt, with an average price of 15,150 yuan/mt, up 150 yuan/mt from the previous working day. The SMM China Titanium Dioxide Index stood at 15,306 yuan/mt, up 140 yuan/mt from the previous working day.

Since last week, many titanium dioxide enterprises had successively raised their quotations by 500-1,000 yuan/mt, while some enterprises withheld sales after closing orders, and bullish sentiment in the market remained strong. As of March 27, the SMM China Smelting Acid Index stood at 1,235.5 yuan/mt, up 156 yuan/mt from the previous working day. Sulphuric acid prices continued to rise, factories became more reluctant to sell, and the cost side provided strong support for titanium dioxide prices.

Titanium Concentrate Market: Prices Dropped Back Slightly, and the Tug-of-War Between Sellers and Buyers Intensified

Domestic titanium concentrate prices edged down slightly. Quotations for TiO₂≥46% material stood at 1,500-1,550 yuan/mt, with an average price of 1,525 yuan/mt, down 50 yuan/mt from the previous working day; quotations for TiO₂≥47% material stood at 1,800-1,900 yuan/mt, with an average price of 1,850 yuan/mt, down 50 yuan/mt from the previous working day.

This month, demand for titanium concentrate rebounded slightly, driven by the resumption of production at titanium dioxide enterprises. However, under pressure from persistently high sulphuric acid costs, titanium dioxide enterprises showed a strong desire to bargain down prices for titanium ore raw materials. Meanwhile, overall inventory levels in the Panxi region remained relatively high, and market supply was comparatively ample, leading titanium ore prices to pull back slightly at month-end.