Needle coke market monthly report（11.1-11.30）

Chinacarbon news: According to Customs figures, China’s imported petroleum-based needle coke reached 5,442 tons in October, increasing 1,037 tons or up 23.54 per cent, compared with the same period in 2010, and dropped 1,481 tons month-on-month, or 21.39 per cent. Mainstream prices of imported needle coke from British- which accounted for 79.29 per cent of total imports - stood at $1,600 per mt, dropping $30 per mt month-on-month; that from Japan stood at $1,940 per mt – which accounted for 9.92 per cent of total imports; and that from the USA stood at $1,780 per mt – which account for 9.96 per cent- stood at $1,780 per mt. In October, China’s imported coal-based needle coke recorded 2,230 tons, 99.79 percent of which came from Japan, posting a decrease of 1,443 tons or 39.29 per cent year-on-year, and a decline of 380 tons or 14.56 per cent month-on-month. The volume of China’s imported needle coke is decreasing month by month looking from the figures. There are two aspects of reasons. First, as steel market was weighed down by both international and domestic economic factors, a part of enterprises began to reduce production to varying degrees, which as a result impacted the demand for needle coke. Second, domestic needle coke enterprises, coal-based needle coke producers in particular, consistently committed to putting product quality as priority while focusing on production efficiency. Anshan-based Thermal Energy Research Institute of Sino-steel Group and Hongte Coal Chemical are nice examples. Prices for overseas petroleum-based needle coke for 2012 have basically settled down. According to what Chinacarbon.cc has learnt for now, ConocoPhillips needle coke has reached 2,300 USD/MT after a rise of $500 per mt, among them, piecing material reached $2,520 per mt from $2,030 per mt and main substance hit $2,220 per mt from $1,800 per mt; petroleum-based Seadrift needle coke reached 2,659USD/MT following $1,000 USD/MT rise, among them, piecing material stood at $3,100 per mt and main substance hit $2,800-2,900 per mt.
Domestic needle coke market in November: On November 7, a project with a total investment of 850 million yuan and designed capacity of 80 thousand tons of needle coke began its construction on a tight schedule in Xuyang Industrial Park in Xingtai Country. According to the head of the project, it will achieve 1.297 billion yuan in sales income and generate 235 million yuan in tax and profits upon operation. On November 21, Yongdong Chemical Co., Ltd planned to invest 630 million yuan to develop coal-based needle coke and carbon black project. Among them, 282 million yuan will be used for needle coke project, which will realize 40 thousand tons of coal-based needle coke upon operation.