SHANGHAI, Jul 17 (SMM) – Operating rates across lead-acid battery producers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hebei provinces averaged 65.71% in the week ended July 17, up 1.03 percentage points from the previous week, showed an SMM survey.

The uptick in operating rates was due to improved orders on the back of gains in lead prices.

Higher lead prices prompted lead-acid battery producers to hike selling prices, and the increase for some brands of batteries used in electric bikes was about 20 yuan per set.

Distributors bought on the way up, while end-user consumption failed to pick up substantially as heavy rain and floods subdued consumption in regions including Jiangxi and Anhui.