83% of 41 Surveyed Chinese Zinc Smelters Cautious toward Zinc Price Trends

SHANGHAI, Jan. 13 (SMM) – 83% of major Chinese zinc smelters take a cautious attitude towards zinc price this week, Shanghai Metals Market survey shows.  

The majority of 41 surveyed smelters, running at utilization rate of 86.32% in December 2014, expect zinc prices to resist both in declines or increases, citing a strong dollar, tumbling oil prices, and falling inventories in China as major reasons. 

The rest 17% are pessimists, according to SMM survey, with capacity totaling 5.69 million tonnes. 

Their bearish sentiment mainly came from a strong dollar, Greece’s uncertainties, and ample supply from high utilization rates and inflow of imported zinc.