ICCSINO: This month, the needle coke market operated smoothly. Most oil-based needle coke enterprises operated normally. Downstream enterprises purchased goods as needed before and after the Spring Festival. The price of raw material oil slurry continued to rise, and the oil-based needle coke price remained stable. There were still discounts on transaction prices. Specifically, the price of coal-based needle coke ranged from 7,500 to 8,500 yuan per ton, and the mainstream price of oil-based needle coke ranged from 5,800 to 8,000 yuan per ton. The price of coal and oil-based green coke ranged from 4,500 to 5,000 yuan per ton. In terms of import and export markets, the price of Japanese coal-based needle coke was 600 US dollars per ton, and the price of South Korean coal-based needle coke was 850 US dollars per ton. As for oil-based needle coke, the price in Japan was 1,100-1,300 US dollars per ton, and the price in the UK was 1,000-1,100 US dollars per ton. The price of anode coke ranged from 650 to 800 US dollars per ton.
In terms of raw materials, the price of coal tar pitch continued to rise this month. At the end of the month, the price of modified pitch was 5,200-5,350 yuan per ton, and the price of medium-temperature coal tar pitch was 5,200-5,300 yuan per ton. This month, the supply of coal tar oil was tight, and coking enterprises continued to raise the price of coal tar oil, supporting coal tar pitch deep processing enterprises to raise the price of coal tar pitch. The main demand for coal tar pitch, pre-baked anode enterprises, replenished goods as needed. At the end of the month, deep processing enterprises still had willingness to push up prices, and it was expected that coal tar pitch prices would still rise in the short term. In terms of low-sulfur oil slurry, the market price of low-sulfur oil slurry continued to rise this month, and oil-based needle coke manufacturers were on the brink of loss. The supply of low-sulfur oil slurry was low, and the demand from downstream enterprises was still acceptable. The supply of low-sulfur oil slurry in March is still expected to be low, and some downstream needle coke enterprises have maintenance plans. It is expected that the price of low-sulfur oil slurry will remain high and stable next month.
In terms of downstream, the graphite electrode market performed generally this month, and the price of graphite electrodes remained stable. During the Spring Festival, the operating rate of electric furnace steel decreased, and the shipment of graphite electrodes slowed down. Graphite electrode enterprises maintained rigid demand replenishment for needle coke enterprises. In the short term, graphite electrodes will still maintain the rhythm of rigid demand replenishment. In terms of anode materials, the overall operating rate of anode materials was not high this month. The procurement of needle coke was based on sales orders. Most head enterprises replenished needle coke before and after the Spring Festival, and they were still in a state of pressure reduction procurement for needle coke. After the holiday, the production of anode material enterprises began to gradually recover, and it was expected that the demand for needle coke would improve in the future.
Overall, the shipment of needle coke this month was smoother than in the early stage, with rising raw material prices and downstream pressure reduction procurement, resulting in considerable operational pressure for needle coke enterprises. Next month, some needle coke will begin maintenance, and raw material prices will remain high. The downstream demands for further cost reduction, and needle coke enterprises will strive to find cost reduction solutions in the long run while maintaining prices in the short term.
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