SHANGHAI, Jul 5 (SMM) – Social inventories of silicon metal across Huangpu port, Kunming city, and Tianjin port gained 6,000 mt from a week ago to stand at 48,000 mt as of Friday July 5, showed SMM data.

This was bolstered by higher stocks in Kunming as supplies grew after the resumption of smelters in Sichuan and Yunnan.

Social warehouses, however, saw cargo flows drop on the month and on the year in May, despite high exports of silicon metal. This was because traders and producers sent their cargoes directly to clients or ports, rather than to social warehouses, to lower shipping and loading and unloading costs.