Poor silicon consumption overseas lowers inflows, outflows through Chinese port warehouses

Published: May 31, 2019 15:40 (GMT+8)

Save

Silicon stocks across Huangpu port, Kunming, and Tianjin port gained 1,000 mt to 54,000 mt as of May 31

SHANGHAI, May 31 (SMM) – Inflow and outflow of silicon metal across port warehouses in China declined sharply from May 2018, as consumption across markets overseas remained weak.

About 7,600 mt of silicon metals flowed into a warehouse at Huangpu port in May, while 8,800 mt flowed out, down 49% and 43% from a year ago, respectively.

SMM data showed that social inventories of silicon metal across Huangpu port, Kunming city, and Tianjin port gained 1,000 mt from a week ago to stand at 54,000 mt as of Friday May 31, barely changed from the same period the year before.

Inventory data Silicon

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

13 hours ago

[SMM Chromium Flash] Global Steel Demand Forecast Turns Flat in 2026 as China Weakens, Recovery Expected in 2027

The World Steel Association (worldsteel) revised its global steel demand outlook on 12 October, forecasting demand to remain broadly unchanged at 1.722 billion tonnes in 2026, before increasing by 1.7% to 1.752 billion tonnes in 2027. The downgrade largely reflects weaker-than-expected demand in China, where steel demand is projected to contract by 2.0% in 2026 and a further 1.0% in 2027. Outside China, demand is expected to grow by 1.5% in 2026 and accelerate to 4.0% in 2027. For the chromium market, the subdued global steel outlook suggests that a broad-based recovery in steel-related demand may take longer to materialize, although prospects vary by region. India’s steel demand is forecast to grow by 7.9% in 2026, while demand in the United States is projected to increase by 2.0%. These divergent regional trends provide important context for chrome ore and ferrochrome producers assessing end-market conditions. However, the forecast covers total steel demand rather than stainless steel specifically, so it does not directly quantify future chromium consumption.

13 hours ago

14 hours ago

[SMM Chromium Flash] South Africa’s August Chrome Ore Exports Fall 11% as Ferrochrome Shipments Rebound 20%

South Africa’s chrome ore exports fell 10.75% month-on-month to 2.36 million tonnes in August 2026, while high-carbon ferrochrome exports increased 20.0% to 117,180 tonnes, highlighting diverging trends in the country’s chromium trade. China remained the leading destination for chrome ore, receiving 1.67 million tonnes, or 70.8% of total shipments, despite a 6.09% monthly decline. Ferrochrome exports, meanwhile, were supported by stronger shipments to North America, with Canada receiving 26,373 tonnes and the United States 26,029 tonnes, together accounting for 44.7% of South Africa’s ferrochrome exports. The contrasting movements point to softer overseas demand for raw chrome ore alongside a recovery in ferrochrome shipments, particularly to North America. However, the monthly rebound in ferrochrome exports does not yet establish a sustained recovery in domestic smelting, while China’s dominant share of ore exports leaves South African shipments exposed to changes in Chinese purchasing activity.

14 hours ago

[SMM Chromium Week Review] Export Flows Rebound as China's Port Stocks Rise and African Prices Diverge

Published: Oct 16, 2026.

14 hours ago