European producers of tungsten carbide 99.7%min held sale prices stable between EUR45.00-47.00kg d.d.p depending on grade and grain size through the second half of March.

However, despite another month of poor manufacturing output and dwindling levels of new orders across the eurozone in March, European prices of tungsten carbide 99.7%min look set to increase closer to EUR48.00kg d.d.p in the early stages of Q2 2013 due to a delayed reaction to a sharp pickup of Ammonium Paratungstate prices in February, and growing downstream demand from manufactures producing parts for the mining industry. 

European ferro-tungsten prices have experienced a somewhat remarkable turnaround in recent days, with offering prices increasing almost USD4.00kg W in a little over 10 days to range between USD41.50-42.50kg W in warehouse Rotterdam as of Wednesday.

The European market had been in a depressed state through much of Q1, with figures falling on a weekly basis, reaching the lows of USD38.50kg W in warehouse Rotterdam two weeks ago. However, a sudden tightness in the availability of prompt release material in Rotterdam last week, caused by a delay to shipments of material from Asia during March.

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The trading volume is small in the tungsten scrap market and the tungsten scrap market moves slowly.

It is expected that the tungsten scrap market will be inactive in the near future with the low demand. A recycler based in Hunan, whose trading volume is around 20 tons per month, expressed that tungsten scraps price kept stable in the recent day.

Tungsten electrode market is quiet as the downstream customers are inactive in making deals. Tungsten electrode prices are stable tentatively now. A source from a tungsten electrode factory, with an output of around 10 tons per month, noted that they mainly dealt with the old orders in the recent days. 

The real demand from the downstream markets does not recover. However, as some companies make purchase, the tungsten concentrate prices are pushed up. Currently, the tungsten concentrate suppliers do not eager to sell materials, and watch the market for a while.

A source from a tungsten concentrate factory based in Hunan, whose regular capacity is around 300 tons per month, noted that the tungsten concentrate market is inactive. He said that they make offers for scheelite 60% at RMB117,000-118,000/t (USD288-290/mtu) this week, which increased slightly compared with those of last week. He said that inquires are few in the spot market, they mainly deal with the long-term orders.

The source told Asian Metal that the tungsten concentrate market is quiet as the demand from the downstream markets does not pick up. But the tungsten concentrate offers increase as some companies purchase materials. Looking ahead, he thinks that the market will be quiet in a short time.

An end-user based in South China expressed that the offers for tungsten concentrate move up this week. He said that they receive the offers for wolframite 55-60% at RMB117,000-119,000/t (USD288-293/mtu), and some offers are even at RMB120,000/t (USD295/mtu). He said that they only purchased a batch of wolframite 55% at RMB117,000/t (USD288/mtu) last week, and will watch the market for a while.

The source said that the APT offers increase accordingly, but the downstream customers are inactive in making deals. He said that they raise offers for APT to RMB179,000/t (USD324/mtu), but the customers are willing to accept the prices at RMB177,000/t (USD320/mtu). Looking ahead, he said that as the demand from the downstream customers is weak, the market will not rebound obviously in a short time.