FERRO-ALLOYS: DETAILED DATA FOR JAPANESE TRADE IN JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 2015

摘要

The Japanese benchmark price for South African high-carbon ferro-chrome was reduced by US4 cents to US112 cents/lb Cr in the last quarter of 2015. This represented the first fall in prices since the first quarter of the year (Figure 1). The drop was attributed to:- the fall in US spot prices, -low demand from stainless steel producers as they aimed to reduce stocks before year-end, -the strong dollar compared with currencies in the main ferro-chrome-producing countries Prices are currently below the production costs of producers in both South Africa and China, and many companies are suspending output. There are no indications, however, that prices will pick-up.