SHANGHAI, Apr 6 (SMM) – Traded prices of zinc oxide stood at 20,500-21,100 yuan/mt last week. According to SMM survey data, the operating rate of zinc oxide enterprises last week was 71.51%, an increase of 0.19% from previous week. Production at zinc oxide plants was stable. In the first half of last week, the price of zinc ingots soared. The purchase of zinc ingots by zinc oxide companies decreased, and the supply of zinc slag was too tight, thus, prices soared. Small and medium-sized zinc oxide companies continued to restrict production due to limited raw material restocking; environmental restrictions policies in north China were loosened, and output at some major plants in north China rose, driving the overall operating rates of zinc oxide enterprises to rise steadily. On demand, the end-users demand for auto tyre was slowly recovering. Tyre manufacturers and traders have a slight decrease in inventory digestion. Part of the exports were controlled amid worsening pandemic situation overseas. In late March, semi-steel tyre sales were muted, and zinc oxide products prices rose due to soaring prices of upstream raw materials, thus, tyre plants were not eager to place orders; the electronics industry normally placed orders on demand; the zinc oxide orders in the pharmaceutical industry remained stable. On the whole, zinc oxide enterprises have maintained stable production and slowly recovered, but rising costs still hinder the progress of demand recovery, and future order pressure still exists.