The earlier uptick in the Chinese ammonium paratungstate (APT) price faltered in the week ended Friday December 14, while both European and Chinese ferro-tungsten markets were stable due to the end-of-year trading lull.
APT fob price in China moved down due to low overseas buying interest amid falling prices in the domestic market. Chinese tungsten concentrate price unchanged. Ferro-tungsten prices in China and Europe were flat week on week. Fastmarkets MB assessed the fob China ammonium paratungstate price, min 88.5% WO3, at $272-285 per tonne on Wednesday December 12, down from $275-287 per tonne the previous week. Some suppliers, keen to reduce their inventories for book-squaring ahead of year-end, have offered material at lower prices in an attempt to close a deal. But other suppliers have held back, taking a watchful stance due to fluctuations in the yuan/dollar exchange rate, which could affect the profitability of ammonium paratungstate exported from China. The yuan/dollar exchange rate was 6.8829 to the dollar on December 12, compared with the week's low of 6.9016 on December 10, according to foreign exchange site Oanda.com. "We...