The Last Week of the Year: Sluggish Trading in the Antimony Market [SMM Antimony Spot Weekly Review]

       SMM, December 27: This week, the domestic antimony market saw sluggish trading, with prices remaining basically stable. As the final week of the year approached, end-users continued to show weak buying interest and maintained a strong wait-and-see sentiment. Meanwhile, most antimony producers gradually closed their accounts and suspended sales, effectively putting the market into a dormant phase. Although some producers continued to ship goods, it could not offset the fact that the market had entered the year-end lull. Low-priced 99.5% and 99.8% antimony trioxide products continued to impact the market. As of now, SMM's average antimony prices are as follows: 2# low-bismuth antimony ingot at 137,000 yuan/mt, 1# antimony ingot at 140,000 yuan/mt, 0# antimony ingot at 144,000 yuan/mt, and 2# high-bismuth antimony ingot at 134,000 yuan/mt. For antimony trioxide, SMM's current average prices are: 99.5% at 120,000 yuan/mt and 99.8% at 129,000 yuan/mt. In some regions, low-priced 99.5% and 99.8% antimony trioxide resources are still evident in the market.

       According to SMM's assessment, China's antimony ingot production (including antimony ingots, crude antimony converted, and antimony cathode) in December 2024 increased by 15.01% MoM compared to November. Specifically, among the 33 surveyed producers, 10 had halted production, one less than the previous month; 19 producers experienced reduced production, unchanged from the previous month; and 4 producers maintained normal production levels, an increase of one compared to the previous month. Regarding antimony ingot production, December's output rose again after a slight rebound in November. Many market participants considered this a normal phenomenon, as December, being the final month of the year, often sees producers rushing production to meet annual targets. Additionally, the relatively sufficient domestic raw material supply contributed to the production increase for some producers in December. Market participants expect that due to the Chinese New Year holiday in January, China's antimony ingot production in January 2025 is likely to pull back compared to December 2024, with the possibility of a significant decline.

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