December is proving to be a quiet month for silico-manganese in Europe, with very little business recorded since November, a trader tells Steel Business Briefing.

Prices for SiMn (65% Si, 17% Mn) have dropped to €900/tonne ($1,334/t) in Rotterdam, from €940/tonne last month, the trader says. “It has been a terrible year for SiMn, with lots of cutbacks,” and longer shutdowns seen than ever before, he confirms.

The price of manganese metal has been “holding well” he adds, but silicon and chrome “are going down”.

December is usually a very busy month for SiMn, another trader tells SBB, but this month it is very quiet, and he does not expect a return to activity until well into January.

“There have been some spot sales, but the market is dead, and it will not pick up until at least mid-January,” he adds.
 

Steel Business Briefing, 9th December 2009