SMM Weekly Forecast on China's Silicon Market

SHANGHAI, Jun. 15 (SMM) -- Operating rates at major producing regions in Southwest China were at high level, with oversupply of low grade silicon metal and limited supply of high grade silicon metal reported. Due to electricity supply restriction and high electricity price in Hunan province, output of low-phosphorus and low-boron silicon metal was limited, so prices of low-phosphorus and low-boron silicon metal were relatively high. 

Demand: Demand from domestic aluminum alloy and silicon metal powder was flat from a week earlier. Meanwhile, overseas purchases were relatively weak. In this context, demand was relatively weak. Buyers largely adopted a wait-and-see attitude, expecting silicon metal prices to fall further.
Considering production costs of silicon metal and downward trend of silicon prices, SMM expects silicon metal prices will fall slightly but prices of high grade silicon metal will be firm in the following week.

SMM expects that mainstream traded prices at Huangpu port will be around RMB 12,500/mt for #553 silicon metal, RMB 13,600/mt for #441 silicon metal, RMB 14,900/mt for #3303 silicon metal and 15,900/mt for #2202 silicon metal in the following week.