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 Domestic lead battery scrap hasn’t changed its high price level since last year, with condition of scrap dealer’s purchase price being 80～84 yen/kg (lead battery scrap for automobile, the following), and FOB based export to Korea being 88 yen/kg. If freight expenses is seen to be 7 yen/kg, then the arrival price at Korea (CIF) can be seen as about 95 yen/kg.

 Export to Korea was once considered to fall, but according to Korean trade custom statistics, Korea is importing 6,488 tonne of lead battery scrap from Japan in January. Average import price in January is 94 yen/kg (CIF).

 Lead battery demand inside Japan is firm. Lead battery demand for general automobile, for hybrid automobiles (using lead battery for starting up), furthermore, for heavy equipment, such as construction machinery, etc. is increasing, by that, the demand for lead metal is also strong. Lead for heavy equipment has different alloy specification to the one for automobile, but in any case, both of domestic lead primary refining and secondary refining have high raw materials needs. According to domestic lead battery scrap dealer, “Recently, domestic lead refining maker is also giving out the same price with the ones for export and following up”. In other words, lead battery scrap for automobile is presenting a high price of about 85 yen/kg.

Lead Supply and Demand of Asia is Relaxing

 Battery scrap is stable with high price, but lead metal, both electrical lead and recycled lead, is declining in its premium prices, that it is different with the strong lead market until last year. According to lead metal handling trade company, “Even in electrical lead basis prices, premium price of USD 200 is no longer existing. Soft Lead is falling down from USD 150 to about USD 100”.

 In fact, lead battery user is holding up the stock of purchased lead metal in long-term last year, so it gives more times.

 H2 last year, the thing when China sold out the lead battery products with low price is told to be the beginning of supply and demand relaxing in South-East Asia, but additionally, sometimes, India, such as Hindustan Zinc, is also enlarging the lead metal export by Rupee low price. Korea is also changing lead metal into export position. In Thailand, there is effect to economy due to political chaos, and automobile sales is also not very good and battery demand tends to be fall.

 Because of market environment like this, battery makers in South-East Asia are careful and cautious of purchasing lead metal, and completely into waiting posture. Lead user is seeing “Premium price declines again”.

 In 2013, battery makers guaranteed a stock in long-term, and in this year, 2014, it will decrease long-term with stance to pick up with low price, and last year was an exact opposite to lead metal market. If metal price is decreasing, then inevitably, the scrap price will also falling down, but in the present, H2 of February, will not see the sign of decreasing.

(IRUNIVERSE SU-SAN)

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