Peak season lifts operating rates across zinc oxide producers in Apr 

SHANGHAI, May 10 (SMM) – Operating rates across Chinese zinc oxide producers grew 1.89 percentage points from March, to 55.45% in April, as peak-season demand bolstered production, SMM data showed on Friday May 10. 

Those zinc oxide plants reported greater orders from March, SMM learned. However, the rate last month slid 1.65 percentage points from April 2018 as orders from downstream tire producers remained weak from last year. 

For May, SMM expects the operating rate to advance by 0.29 percentage point on the month, and by 1.37 percentage points on the year, to 55.74%.