Manganese highlights

摘要

US manganese alloy markets have improved in line with demand in the past few weeks, climbing on renewed buying activity from steelmakers after the seasonal holidays. European ferro-manganese spot prices have also increased on renewed demand from the steel sector, although further increases look limited given below capacity consumption across the area. There have been virtually no deals for refined material. The European spot silico-manganese market has been unchanged, with small, intermittent business activity enough to support prices in the near term. The Chinese silico-manganese market has been quiet on weak buying interest from steel mills, some of which have finished purchases for January-February production. Producer profit margins have been squeezed due to increased electricity prices as a result of the dry season, which ends in April.