Bromine Price Trend and Forecast

Regional Market Overview

Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Bromine in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

Bromine Price Trend for the Q1 of 2024

Asia

The stumbling trend of the bromine prices in the previous quarter eventually resulted in the downfall of the bromine price trend in the first quarter of 2024. The spot (FD) prices in China declined from an average of 3297 USD/MT to 2975 USD/MT, registering a pronounced decline in the overall dynamics of the market. The depreciation of the market momentum seemed to be the direct consequence of limited trading activities and the loss of the domestic consumer base.

The export volumes declined due to the inclination in delivery time to the European ports as the disruption of the Red Sea route increased the duration by almost 2-3 weeks, further increasing the expenditure and reducing the trader’s profit margin. On the other hand, the Indian market showed resilience to the changing landscape of international demand and trading routes. The region maintained a stable trend as the prices of bromine moved approximately from 4458 USD/MT in January to 4425 USD/MT in March’24.

Europe

A majority of chemical giants raised their pricing quotations of base chemicals right from the advent of the last quarter of 2023 which was further passed down to the first quarter of 2024 as well. The growing tensions between Israel and Hamas prompted the manufacturers to take this step. Israel, being the biggest exporter of elemental bromine, thus had a noticeable impact on the supply chains, particularly in the European countries.

Amid the supply crisis, the downstream industries raised their appetite for the commodity, further raising the concerns of the domestic traders. Not only Israel but the trading community also witnessed silent treatment from the Asian exporters as the number of shipments declined amid the expansion of delivery time through the Cape of Good Hope route. These complex geopolitical dynamics, in turn, favored the stabilization of bromine prices, slightly towards the upper end of the spectrum.

North America

In the first quarter of 2024, the bromine price trend showcased stability with some minor fluctuations in the end-user industries month on a monthly basis. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas continued to influence the market, leading to price declines as exporters offered products at cheaper rates. However, the demand from downstream industries like flame retardants and hydrobromic acid showed significant improvement, reflecting increased consumption in the domestic market. Further, despite concerns over elevated interest rates, the US economy remained resilient, favoring the uptick in industrial activities. Additionally, both independent consumers and enterprises sustained substantial spending, driving growth in the chemical industry, including the bromine market.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Bromine is estimated to bear the repercussions of constrained trading activities and avalanches in the global economic growth, which might hinder the rising sentiments of the downstream industries.

Bromine Price Trend for October - December of 2023

Asia

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the bromine price trend in Asian countries showed only a slight rise. In China, the bromine prices rose minimally from approximately 3328 USD/MT (Spot, FD) in October to 3550 USD/MT in December’23. This stable trajectory of the bromine graph was based on the smooth supply of the product in the region along with the steady demand from downstream industries such as tetrabromobisphenol A. Along with this, the flame retardant and chemical industries also experienced a phase of revival in the final quarter of 2023, extending its support for the bromine price trend.

Europe

The supply rates of raw materials into the European countries through the Dead Sea route were affected by the rise in tensions between Israel and Hamas. The region thus experienced a speedy fall in its inventory levels of bromine, which in turn worked in favor of the bromine price trend during the fourth quarter of 2023. However, the intake of costly imports from the Asian countries posed a counter problem for the traders, causing ripples in the smooth trajectory of the bromine price graph.

North America

Bromine is a crucial starting material in the production of a number of industrially significant products, and thus, its price trend were driven by the functioning of the chemical manufacturing sector in North America. The chemical and flame-retardant industry showed only slight movements as compared to the last quarter, and thus, the bromine price graph also did not register any drastic change in its trajectory.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Bromine prices will be driven by the functioning of the industrial sector and the effects of the Isarel-Hamas crisis on the global trade routes.

Bromine Price Trend for the July-September of 2023

Asia

Bromine exhibited mixed price patterns during the third quarter of the year 2023. Various consumption sectors like chemical, fuel additives, oil well drilling, surface disinfectants, pharmaceuticals, and bleaching, etc. drive the market sentiments for Bromine.

In the Indian regional market, the prices witnessed a downturn as the average monthly prices fell from around 4900 USD/MT (CIF, India) to about 4646 USD/MT within the said span of three months, recording a depreciation of around 5%.

Further, the Chinese market still struggled with manufacturing plant operations as a supply deficit was being observed. Because of this low supply and high demand situation, the Chinese regional spot prices jumped from around 2596 USD/MT to around 3324 USD/MT, with an approximate escalation of around 28%. Overall, fluctuating price trend were observed.

Europe

The European bromine price trend also fluctuated throughout the discussed period following the market queries from the consuming sector. However, easing freight and transport situations also had an impact. Overall, the European bromine market stayed afloat during the said period.

North America

The North American bromine performance was relatively weaker than its Asian counterparts. The demands were sullen for the majority of the discussed period, which in turn also pulled the price trend down. Overall, bearish market sentiments were observed.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, given the inventories have risen considerably, the Bromine prices are likely to fluctuate within a narrow range going forward.

Bromine Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

The Asian Bromine market mostly witnessed lower fluctuating price trend in the first half of 2023, given the high inventory stocks and dull demands from the downstream fire retardant and pesticide industries. The spot prices of Bromine started with an average of about 6205 USD/MT in the Chinese domestic market in January’23.

The first quarter ended with an average spot price of around 4012 USD/MT in March’23, after a quarterly declination of approximately 35%. As June arrived, Bromine prices declined further as the market demands didn’t revive, and almost nil new queries led spot prices to average at about 2640 USD/MT, registering an overall decline of 57% since January’23.

Europe

The European bromine market, too, exhibited dull price sentiments owing to low downstream demands amidst good inventory levels. Moreover, the arrival of cheap products from China and reduced freight costs further aided the declining trajectory. Overall, the bromine prices remained low, swinging throughout the concerned period.

North America

The American Bromine market had a slow start in January as there were sufficient stocks to support existing demands. The demands decreased around mid-Q1. Hence, prices declined further, following the global trend.

Moderate queries at the time of the quarter shift helped the market stabilize a little, but dull global sentiments easily saturated the market with cheap supplies, and the prices declined again as the second quarter concluded. Overall, market sentiments remained bearish.

Analyst Insight

According to the Procurement Resource, the Bromine price trend are expected to continue similar bearish trend for the upcoming months. High inventory levels can easily assist the current market demands, given all the other variables keep constant.

Bromine Price Trend for Q2, Q3 and Q4 of 2022

Asia

The Bromine market in the Asian-Pacific region witnessed a see-saw trend due to the fluctuating supply-demand dynamics. The rising inflation and uncertainties in demand attributing to the increasing covid cases led to the decline in the prices of bromine. The covid uncertainties continued to play a significant role in declining the price trend in the fourth quarter too. The Chinese government-imposed restrictions on trade which negatively impacted the export to overseas markets and thus caused the fall in the prices of bromine.

Middle East and Africa

The bromine market fluctuated in the Middle East and African regions as a result of the decreased run rates by the European producers amid lowered demand. The profit margins thus declined and given the soaring energy prices; the supply-demand equilibrium dipped. At the end of the fourth quarter, the market had fewer offtakes as demand declined significantly and the consumers' confidence was subdued which played a combined effect in keeping the price trend of bromine downwards.

North America

The second and third quarters of 2022 were favourable in terms of prices of bromine in the North American region. The traders looked towards the restocking of the product given the hurricane alerts. This trend was followed till the initial months of the fourth quarter after which the prices started declining given the slow economic activities, weak demand, and rising energy production costs due to soaring inflation which aided the decline in the price trend of bromine in the region.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend for bromine are expected to show a declining trend in the upcoming quarter as the end-user demand and energy production costs will remain uncertain and soaring inflation will prove to be a challenge for the bromine market.

Bromine Price Trend For the Q1 of 2022

Asia

In the first quarter of 2022, bromine prices in Asia-Pacific remained erratic. They fell in March due to low demand from the downstream flame retardant business and a ban on international shipments due to the return of Covid 19 in China.

During the month of March, bromine prices were estimated to be around 8876 USD/MT FOB Qingdao. To prevent a drop in offtakes within China, manufacturers were forced to lower prices. Prior to the last week of February, the price had been trending upward due to limited supplies and increased demand from downstream agricultural and pharmaceutical companies.

Europe

In the month of January, bromine prices in Europe remained stable due to sustained demand from the downstream flame retardant business. Geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine resulted in production cuts and an energy crisis in Europe.

To make up for the conflict-related losses, traders and salespeople in the region were heard offering the product at a lower price to spot purchasers. Due to an inability to meet foreign demand, manufacturers were forced to lower prices in order to maintain stable offtakes in the domestic market. In Q1-2022, the price in Europe changed by about 2%.

North America

Bromine prices in North America remained steady in Q1-2022, owing to stable offtakes and abundant material availability in the US market. In the first quarter, stability in Chinese enquiries was seen due to market closures as a result of strong Covid restrictions, notwithstanding Covid's return in China.

Due to declining demand from China, bromine traders and manufacturers in the United States lowered prices to preserve stable offtakes in the domestic market. Throughout the first quarter of 2022, the demand-supply imbalance in the country remained tight. During the latter week of March, bromine prices were estimated at 4590 USD/MT FOB Houston.

For the Fourth Quarter of 2021

Asia

Bromine market sentiments remained mixed in the fourth quarter of 2021 in Asia. Prices soared in October as a result of a supply constraint and increased downstream demand. In China, the effects of the dual energy norms, such as increased traffic at Chinese ports and tightened freight vessel availability, have pushed up the price of elemental Bromine.

This was mostly due to the brisk trade following the holidays, which caught spot market participants off guard. Bromine prices, on the other hand, fell sharply by late-Q4 as purchasers resisted buying cargoes to absorb the significant surge in the price. Although it has been reported that bromine is readily available in India, significant cost pressure has made it difficult for specialised consumers to get cargoes.

Europe

In Q4 2021, the European market saw a large increase in bromine prices, owing to a lack of imports and strong demand from downstream industries. Climate disturbances continued to put a strain on the product's availability during times of high demand. Because Europe imports the majority of its bromine from other countries, incremental reductions in freight costs and increased supply resulted in a small decrease in prices at the end of the quarter. Prices, on the other hand, remained high in contrast to previous quarters.

North America

Bromine prices in the North American region followed the same pattern as the previous quarter, as rising freight and energy costs continued to put upward pressure on non-fuel mineral prices. Throughout the first two weeks of Q4, demand from downstream Hydrogen Bromide markets remained high.

Bromine prices were relatively low in November, owing to the United States' considerable investment in oil and gas drilling. Surging demand for Bromine derivatives from the flame retardants industry has kept sales volume robust in Q3, according to a leading manufacturer's quarterly reports, and the trend is set to continue into Q4. In late December, bromine FOB bulk prices in the United States hit 4580 USD/MT.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Bromine. Each price database is tied to a user-friendly graphing tool dating back to 2014, which provides a range of functionalities: configuration of price series over user defined time period; comparison of product movements across countries; customisation of price currencies and unit; extraction of price data as excel files to be used offline.