Rare earth market update on May 29, 2025

The domestic rare earth market is maintaining a generally weak performance, with a mix of bullish and bearish factors creating a somewhat stalemated negotiation atmosphere between buyers and sellers.

Rare earth market update on May 28, 2025

The domestic rare earth market remains generally stable. With most traders focusing on rigid transactions, overall market activity is relatively subdued, and the prices of mainstream light and heavy rare earth products have shown no significant fluctuations.

Rare earth market update on May 27, 2025

The domestic rare earth prices are generally fluctuating within a reasonable range, with neodymium oxide prices increasing by approximately 3,000 yuan/ton, terbium oxide prices rising by about 20 yuan/kg, and holmium oxide prices going up by around 2,000 yuan/ton.

According to the Baotou Statistical Bulletin, from January to April 2025, the added value of industrial enterprises above the designated size in Baotou City increased by 13.1% year-on-year, surpassing the national (6.4%) and regional (6.1%) averages by 6.7 and 7 percentage points, respectively, marking 56 consecutive months of double-digit growth.

Recently, according to the Jiangxi Development and Reform Commission website, among the 65 essential consumer goods monitored in Jiangxi, the average prices showed 28 increases, 27 decreases, and 10 unchanged month-on-month, while year-on-year, there were 23 increases, 39 decreases, and 3 unchanged. For industrial production data, steel prices slightly decreased, tungsten concentrate prices slightly increased, rare earth prices generally saw a slight increase, cement prices slightly decreased, and sand and gravel prices overall slightly decreased.

Recently, according to the Baotou Industry and Information Technology Bureau, in April 2025, among the 36 industrial products closely monitored in Baotou, month-on-month, the prices of 23 products, including rare earth carbonate, pig iron, A00 aluminum, and PVC, decreased, the price of monocrystalline silicon remained unchanged, and the prices of 12 products, including high wire, hydrogen fluoride, and cerium metal, increased. Year-on-year, the prices of 26 products, including hot-rolled coil, A00 aluminum, and lanthanum metal, decreased, while the prices of 10 products, including fluorite, hydrogen fluoride, and neodymium oxide, increased.

Rare earth market update on May 26, 2025

At the beginning of the week, the domestic rare earth market maintained a sideways trend, with downstream users primarily engaging in essential procurement and suppliers showing low willingness to offer discounts.

Rare earth market update on May 23, 2025

This week, the domestic rare earth market has shown a generally weak performance, characterized by low enthusiasm from traders entering the market, combined with declining prices for most products and limited new orders.

Recent high-level trade talks between China and the U.S. in Geneva on May 12, 2025, resulted in a mutual agreement to significantly reduce tariffs within 90 days, lowering them by 115% in total (as per the joint statement). Despite this tariff détente, China’s tightened rare earth export controls have drawn international attention, positioning rare earths as a strategic "weapon" in the ongoing China-U.S. geopolitical rivalry. China has continued to tighten rare earth export controls and has implemented a new export licensing system, adopting a "one batch, one license" approach. This mandates that each rare earth shipment be accompanied by a separate rare earth export license, with exporters required to furnish detailed end-user information. This policy aims not only to plug regulatory gaps but also to give China a key advantage in the strategic competition with the U.S.

Rare earth market update on May 22, 2025

Rare earth price center continued to decline, with terbium oxide, holmium oxide, and dysprosium oxide prices decreasing by approximately 130 yuan per kilogram, 6,000 yuan per ton, and 10,000 yuan per ton, respectively.