Chinese Antimony Plants Shut for CNY, Export Prices Rose

SHANGHAI, Jan 17 — According to SMM, many refined antimony and antimony oxide plants have closed for the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays this week. Some plants stopped selling and worked from home.

One large scale antimony products supplier in north China told SMM that they refrained from selling except for regular clients.

The supplier said that they adopted this sales strategy amid recent strong demand. Still, they have struck many deals. They would not have been able to deliver the existing orders if they did not restock inventories.

SMM understood that there are plenty of such plants. This presages tight antimony supply even until after CNY holidays.

Inquiries for exports also increased noticeably, pushing export quotations higher.

FOB prices of some large scale enterprises were yanked to $12,500-12,700/mt.