Prices in the West firm, while the East softens

摘要

The market appears to be in two halves this week. Prices in the East continue to soften with key market China topping out at $88/t cfr. High stocks, low domestic prices, and endusers lingering largely on the side lines have forced prices down and ideas for forward cargoes delivered to China are said to be in the mid-$80s/t cfr. Prices in India have also softened to the $95-97/t cfr range, with the lowest offer against FACT's recent tender in the mid-$90s/t cfr. This is the fi rst movement seen in India's sulphur price since late-March. In the West, prices are fl at-to-fi rm. At Vancouver port, prices are still in the $80-88/t fob range as sulphur supply from the Alberta oil sands slowly starts to return. In the US Gulf, prices have fi rmed to the $70-75/t fob range as Brazil prices tick up to $82-87/t cfr Santos on the back of Anglo American's 10 June tender. But, the market still continues to remain relatively muted as indication on where prices will move next is sought.