Resumen de China's spherical graphite exports lose ground in April
The average value of coated and uncoated spherical graphite out of China dipped below the $3,000/tonne mark in April as volumes shipped declined from the record highs seen in March.
Chinese spherical graphite exports declined in April following a strong performance in March, but remained significantly higher on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, latest China Customs figures show.
Exports of spherical graphite, including both coated and uncoated material under HS code 25041091, stood at 3,330 tonnes in April, generating $9.82m in trade worth.
The month marks a sharp increase in volume (+37%) against the same period last year, when exports reached 2,426 tonnes.
In value terms, however, the increased volume traded was not enough to exceed year-ago levels: the April 2017 value fell 6% y-o-y, mainly on the back of decreasing spherical graphite average export prices.
Chinese spherical graphite exports (Kg, $) Source: China Customs The average value of exported material this time last year was close to $4,300/tonne, compared with $2,950/tonne in April - a drop of over one-third.
The latest data also shows a slight decrease in shipments against the previous month. In March, volumes posted a record-high, with 3,480 tonnes exported, for a value of almost $11m.
Sequentially, spherical graphite lost further in value from an average export price in March of $3,160/tonne.
Volatility in trade patterns was seen earlier this year already, with a surge in January followed by a decline in February.
This article was first published online on 12 June.
