Antimony trioxide market quiet

BEIJING (Asian Metal) 20 Apr 12 – After the price of antimony trioxide reduces early this week, the market is quiet and buyers are waiting for further price changes.

A Jiangsu-based plastic producer who purchases about 30t of antimony trioxide every month told Asian Metal that he ordered 30t of antimony trioxide 99.5%min in late March at RMB71,000/t (USD11,270/t) ex works with the payment within 3 months. "Currently buyers can get antimony trioxide 99.5%min at around RMB70,000/t (USD11,111/t) ex works with the same payment terms," said the source, adding that he once thought the price of antimony trioxide will go up as it happened in the past years.
The source thinks though the price of antimony trioxide decreases, those buyers who have to consume will make replacement on hand-to-mouth basis, and some small producers stopped production owing to limited or no profit, so the price has a very narrow margin to decrease in the following weeks.

A Sichuan-based ceramic producer who consumes about 10t every three months reported that he bought about 10t of antimony trioxide 99.5%min early April at RMB71,000/t (USD11,270/t) ex works with the payment within 3 months. "Sellers accept RMB68,000-68,500/t (USD10,794-10,873/t) ex works paid by cash for antimony trioxide 99.5%min this moment, so buyers can get the material at RMB70,000-70,500/t (USD11,111-11,190/t) ex works with the payment within 3 months," said the source.

The source also expected the price of antimony trioxide would increase into April, and thinks the market will be low in the short term with limited room to decrease for price.