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Weekly Report: Antimony Market Price Breaches 100,000 RMB for The First Time – Will This Key Level Hold? (July 3–July 10)

Views: 43 Author: YINSU FLAME RETARDANT Publish Time: 2026-07-13 Origin: www.flameretardantys.com

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Weekly Report: Antimony Market Price Breaches 100,000 RMB for the First Time – Will This Key Level Hold? (July 3–July 10)

I. Market Overview

Last week, overseas antimony prices generally operated within the range of $23,100–$24,200 per metric ton. While international quotes remained temporarily stable, there were reports of low-priced supply available. News regarding production capacity changes in Tajikistan and the United States surfaced last week, alongside discussions of G7's focus on critical minerals, specifically reducing reliance on China, which may impact global and domestic markets. Regarding raw material flows, Europe, the U.S., Japan, and South Korea are entering their traditional summer holiday season, and overseas terminal consumption has entered a seasonal slack period. Meanwhile, Myanmar, the main source of raw materials, has entered the rainy season, which may hinder mining and land transportation. The volume of antimony concentrate and other raw materials arriving at ports from Myanmar and Southeast Asia is expected to continue to decline.

Last week, the domestic antimony price hovered at the 100,000 RMB/ton threshold for several days before falling below it on Friday, hitting a low of 99,500 RMB/ton. The market sentiment remains weak due to the traditional off-season and the aftermath of previous sharp declines. Looking back at May and June, the cumulative drop of approximately 37.5% over two steep slides has significantly impacted participant confidence. Although domestic smelters have continued to cut production in response to falling prices, the reduction in supply has yet to offset the weakening demand, and the supply-demand gap has not yet converged. Furthermore, after concentrated imports in the first half of the year, raw material imports are expected to continue declining. On the demand side, downstream procurement remains cautious, limited to essential needs, while the continued decline in daily melting volume for photovoltaic (PV) glass has also dragged on antimony demand.

Related products show diverging signals: Bromine prices rebounded due to cost and supply disruptions, whereas decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) weakened. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment's Center for International Cooperation and Exchanges released a notice regarding the collection of information on DBDPE and other substances; the potential policy impact on the flame retardant chain remains to be seen. Market views are currently divided—one side expects the slide to continue until August before hitting bottom, while others believe it is near the bottom and starting to build positions slowly. Spot quotes remain divergent: some holders are propping up prices, with #1 antimony ingots at approximately 105,000 RMB/ton and 99.8% antimony oxide at about 95,000 RMB/ton. However, low-priced supply is approaching the 100,000/90,000 RMB thresholds. If mainstream quotes loosen, prices may continue to explore lower levels. Lacking positive stimuli, the market is expected to remain weak throughout July.

As of July 13, the mainstream quote for 1# antimony ingots has further dipped to the 103,000–107,000 RMB/ton range, with daily adjustments of 1,000 RMB/ton across various categories, including antimony concentrate, smelted products, and oxides. Spot price for antimony trioxide (99.5%) is reported at 84,500 RMB/ton, a cumulative drop of 7,000 RMB/ton over the past week.

II. May 2026 China Customs Data

Antimony imports and exports both declined in May, exacerbating the trade imbalance. On the raw material side: Antimony ore imports totaled 10,972 tons, a 19.49% decrease month-on-month, but still a 375.84% increase year-on-year. The cumulative import volume for the first five months has already exceeded the total for 2025. Thailand (54.97%) and Myanmar (13.92%) were the main sources, with prices concentrated between $7,600 and $8,400 per ton.

On the finished product side: Antimony oxide exports were only 193 tons, a sharp 49.09% decrease month-on-month, hitting a new low for the year, with export prices remaining high at $25,000 per ton; antimony ingot exports remained at zero. The supply-demand mismatch is suppressing prices, which have now fallen back to May 2024 levels. The market will focus on the potential recovery in demand for bromine-antimony flame retardants after the off-season ends.

III. Overseas Antimony Trade Highlights

According to SMM data for May 2026 regarding Thai antimony trade:

Total Volume: Imports reached 5,290.0 physical tons; exports reached 5,094.2 physical tons.
Antimony Ingots: Switched from a net export of 254.4 tons in April to a net import of approximately 217.6 tons in May.
Antimony Oxide: Exports shrank significantly to 330 tons compared to the thousands of tons seen in April. Exports to the U.S. in May reached 300 tons, accounting for over 90% of total exports, but dropped nearly 67% from April’s 920 tons.

Note: Detailed monthly and country-specific data from China Customs, Thailand Customs, and other major regions are available for export via the Shanghai Steel Union (Mysteel) data center. For inquiries, please contact: 021-26094271.

IV. Selected Downstream Analysis

Photovoltaic (PV) Glass: National daily melting volume remains on a downward trend at 73,615 tons. Supply is relatively stable, though some production lines are expected to undergo cold repairs next week. Demand is weak due to falling module prices and limited export support. Profitability remains in deep negative territory, though slightly improved due to lower soda ash costs.
Bromine: The market ended its previous losing streak, rising from 27,500 RMB/ton to 28,750 RMB/ton (a 4.55% increase) due to supply constraints caused by rainy weather in main production areas and high sulfur costs. The market remains cautious as downstream demand (flame retardants, pharmaceuticals) is still in the off-season.

V. Next Week's Outlook

Looking ahead to next week, the antimony market remains devoid of clear positive drivers, and prices are likely to continue a weak bottom-building phase.

Supply: The rainy season in Myanmar continues to disrupt mining and transport; the expected decline in concentrate arrivals provides some support, but domestic production cuts are currently insufficient to reverse the loose supply-demand balance.
Demand: With the traditional summer holiday season in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and South Korea, overseas consumption is in a slack period. Domestic downstream buyers remain cautious.
Price: Following the breach of the 100,000 RMB/ton level last Friday, market confidence is significantly dampened. Prices are likely to oscillate at low levels while seeking a floor.

Key areas to monitor: The actual impact of Myanmar's rainy season on import arrivals, progress of PV glass cold repairs, and the policy-related effects of the DBDPE inquiry on the flame retardant industrial chain.

Although antimony prices have fallen significantly from their annual highs, costs remain high relative to other flame retardant raw materials. Seeking alternatives to antimony trioxide or transitioning to halogen-free flame retardant solutions has become an irreversible industry trend. Yin Su Flame Retardant offers customized formulas and comprehensive solutions tailored to your specific needs and processing conditions.