Metal prices soften due to weakening demand
April 4, 2012
Chinese tungsten APT prices continued to soften in the first quarter of 2012 as a result of weakening global demand with the FOB China APT price declining from US$450-460/mtu at the end of September 2011 to $390/mtu at the end of March 2012. This compares with US$330/mtu at the beginning of 2011, and US$200/mtu at the beginning of 2010.
Tungsten carbide powder (FOB China) has also fallen from $58.50/kg in September 2011 to just under $52/kg at the end of March. The price of WC powder is, nevertheless, still double its level of $27/kg at the beginning of 2010.
Cobalt metal saw a peak of $30/kg in September 2011 and has since dropped back to around $30/kg, whilst copper has been steady at around $8300/mt for most of 2012 after having peaked at close to $10,000/mt in the summer of 2011.
Neodymium metal (99% FOB China) also continued its downward trend and was trading at $180/kg at the end of March 2012 compared with $440/kg in September 2011.
Posted by: Paul Whittaker, Editor ipmd.net, [email protected]
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