【Needle Coke Daily Report】 Limited Positives, Needle Coke Market Mainly in a Wait-and-See Stance

【Needle Coke Daily Report】 Limited Positives, Needle Coke Market Mainly in a Wait-and-See Stance

Ⅰ. Current Focus

1) Modified coal tar pitch mainstream prices adjusted to 5500-5600 yuan/ton, medium-temperature coal tar pitch mainstream prices at 5400-5400 yuan/ton.

2) Average operating rate of electric arc furnace steel mills is 72.26%, unchanged from the previous period, a year-on-year increase of 15.92 percentage points.

3) Mainstream prices in the medium-low sulfur slurry market are at 3800-4530 yuan/ton. Specifications and Prices for Full/Semi Graphitized Coke Products. 

Ⅱ. Current Market

Data Source: Oilchem

Data Source: Oilchem

Due to the downstream demand for cost reduction and the partial substitutability of petroleum coke, the consumption of needle coke has declined, leading to intense competition among enterprises. The mainstream price for raw needle coke is 5000-5500 yuan/ton, and the mainstream price for calcined needle coke is 8000-9500 yuan/ton.

Ⅲ. Production and Sales Dynamics

Supply: Many coal-based needle coke enterprises have stopped production or shifted to producing coal tar pitch; start-up times are uncertain. Oil-based enterprises are maintaining low-load operations.

Demand: There is a slight upward trend in demand from negative electrode enterprises; the national independent electric arc furnace operating rate remains stable, with a slight increase in capacity utilization. Demand for needle coke from graphite electrodes is weak.

Ⅳ. Related Product Market

Mainstream prices in the medium-low sulfur slurry market are at 3800-4530 yuan/ton; modified coal tar pitch has mainstream prices at 5500-5600 yuan/ton, and medium-temperature coal tar pitch has mainstream prices at 5400-5400 yuan/ton; mid-range synthetic graphite prices are at 34000 yuan/ton, and super high-power 700mm graphite electrode market prices are at 23000 yuan/ton.

Ⅴ. Future Market Forecast

  In the short term, the needle coke market lacks strong positive factors, therefore maintaining a wait-and-see approach is advised. Carbon Products Industry Report, Contact Us for More Information.