Qingming Holiday Affected Galvanizing Operations [SMM Galvanizing Weekly Review]

SMM April 10: The operating rate of the galvanizing industry was 57.89% this week, edging down 0.86 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices fluctuated at highs throughout the week, with downstream enterprises picking up fewer goods and mainly consuming existing stock. However, zinc ingots previously priced by galvanising enterprises arrived successively, and zinc ingot inventories of galvanising enterprises edged down slightly. The decline in operating rates was mainly due to some enterprises being on holiday for the Qingming Festival, affecting operations. By segment, ferrous metals prices remained relatively firm, galvanized pipe traders restocked on a regular basis, galvanising enterprises had good orders with smooth shipments, and finished product inventories declined notably. In terms of structural components, steel tower orders remained relatively robust, with subsequent tenders opening up successively. Steel tower orders are expected to be sustained. Some export orders for transportation, steel towers, and profiles still performed well. Overall consumption was in line with traditional peak season expectations, improving slightly from March. The operating rate is expected to rise to around 60.92% next week.