Calcium Carbide Price Trend and Forecast

Calcium Carbide Regional Price Overview

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

Calcium Carbide Price Trend for the Q2 of 2024

Asia

In Q2 2024, calcium carbide prices in China saw an upward trend driven by increased demand and market activity post-Labor Day holidays. The Chinese market experienced a surge in industrial activities in the feedstock coke sector, which, along with a significant rise in the PVC market due to strong end-user demand and favorable macroeconomic conditions, supported the uptrend in the prices of calcium carbide.
 

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Additionally, towards the end of the quarter, higher international crude oil prices provided extra support to the market. Further, signs of recovery emerged in China following a previous downturn, with increased production and procurement activities. The housing sector's recovery notably contributed to demand, and despite rising energy and feedstock costs, market dynamics remained positively influenced by moderate demand and global events such as oil supply disruptions and higher container shipping rates.

Europe

In the second quarter, with the limited influx of overseas imports, particularly from the Asian countries, stabilized the inventories. However, this relief was short-lived as soon the end-user demand for calcium carbide turned bearish, leading to a fluctuation in its price trend.

The major setback for the market came from the uneven market trend in the construction sector. Under the influence of unfavorable economic recovery of the market from the rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing trade war with Russia, the sector failed to provide any support to the calcium carbide market. Although the lowering of interest rates by the European Central Bank in June is expected to draw in investments, its effect will only be visible in the next quarter.

North America

The calcium carbide market experienced a significant downturn in the latter half of the second quarter, deviating from its initial trend of price increases. This decline was driven primarily by a decrease in construction spending, which reduced demand for downstream industries such as PVC and steel. Additionally, lower production costs due to the decline in feedstock coke and natural gas prices further contributed to the price drop.

A reduction in US steel imports also reflected subdued demand for steel products. Further, the significant decline in natural gas prices incurred by the region reduced the overall cost of calcium carbide production. In view of these changes, the manufacturers adjusted their pricing strategies, reflecting well on the declining trajectory of calcium carbide prices.

Despite this downturn, there was cautious optimism for a price rebound as the market giants anticipated the stabilization of construction activities and the natural gas market. The US government's support for the construction sector is further expected to support the demand for calcium carbide, suggesting a positive outlook for prices in the next quarter.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price of Calcium Carbide is expected to be driven by the recovery of the construction sector, particularly in China and European countries, along with a surge in the procurement rates of its derivatives such as PVC.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend for the Q1 of 2024

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Asia

In Q1 2024, the calcium carbide market in India displayed resilience with stable prices, mirroring similar trends as observed in the major economies around the world despite a downturn in construction activity. Indian downstream industry quickly adapted to the changing landscape of trade and supported the stabilization in the price trend of calcium carbide, even with slight fluctuations in feedstock chemical prices, offset by declining coal costs.

Among the end-user industries, robust demand within India's cutting, welding, and metal fabrication sectors, driven by increased construction and automobile activities, boosted the calcium carbide's price stability. As the manufacturing sector continued to grow, supported by global demand and subdued inflation, calcium carbide's demand remained firm.

In China, the market dynamics followed a similar trend as depicted by the Indian calcium carbide sector. The spot (FD) price of calcium carbide here moved slightly from an average of 421 USD/MT to 406 USD/MT in the first quarter of 2024 after oscillating in the previous quarter. The limited growth of the market was, however, attributed to the fall in the export volumes to the European countries amid the rising geopolitical challenges negatively affecting the trade routes.

Europe

In a number of European countries, governments increased infrastructure spending, and even the other downstream industries showcased a favorable market trend, resulting in a stagnant trajectory of calcium carbide prices. Additionally, the stable trend in energy prices in Europe further improved industry profitability, leading to increased Calcium Carbide production and consumption. On the production side, the smooth improvement in the market dynamics of feedstock industries and the overall economy of the region also favored the rise in the momentum of the calcium carbide market.

North America

The first quarter of 2024 in the US followed the global trends, and thus, the market saw a rise in calcium carbide prices, fueled by positive factors such as stable demand-supply dynamics, optimistic downstream industries, and increased feedstock costs. A resilient construction sector contributed to a bullish outlook for the feedstock market, reflecting well in the pricing trajectory of calcium carbide. Other sectors like plastics, paper, and pharmaceuticals also improved at a remarkable rate, favoring the transition of calcium carbide prices in the green zone. However, global economic uncertainties and supply chain challenges pose potential hurdles to sustained growth.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Calcium Carbide is expected to sustain its stability in the future quarters too as the downstream industries are projecting a positive influence on the market trend of calcium carbide.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend for the October - December of 2023

Asia

In Asian countries, the calcium carbide price trend showed little to no movement during the fourth quarter of 2023. In China, the calcium carbide price graph rose minimally from around 406 USD/MT (Spot, FD) to 410 USD/MT during the last quarter of 2023. However, if looked at from the perspective of the last few quarters, the market has registered quite a downfall. This stumbling trend of calcium carbide prices was attributed to the stagnancy in the downstream industries and the maintenance shutdown of several manufacturing units in China.

Europe

The European countries enjoyed a peak in calcium carbide prices during the fourth quarter of 2023 as the downstream industries increased their demand and subsequent rates of procurement of calcium carbide. The slowdown of industrial production further gave the traders a chance to stabilize their inventory-demand equilibria and thus gave the calcium carbide market a boost. The consumer sector also did not seem hesitant in raising their spending appetite which in turn worked in favor of calcium carbide price trend.

North America

A number of industrial fragments helped in the rise of calcium carbide price trend during the last quarter of 2023. The positive outlook of downstream industries, stable demand-supply equilibria, and increased cost of feedstock materials all worked in favor of the calcium carbide market and helped in the upswing of its price trend. Despite the slow recovery of the economy and fall in the cost of crude oil, the traders enjoyed an uptick in calcium carbide prices.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Calcium Carbide are estimated to function on the basis of demand from the downstream PVC industries and the rising cost of raw materials.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend for the July - September of 2023

Asia

The lukewarm approach of the construction sector and minimal improvement in the industrial and manufacturing sectors of the Asia-Pacific region caused calcium carbide price trend to move southwards. Further, in order to keep the economic indicators afloat and deal with surging inflation rates, the government increased the rates of interest, resulting in the downfall of calcium carbide prices. But in the middle of this quarter, with the advancements in the polymer and PVC sectors, the spot prices of calcium carbide went from approximately 402 USD/MT in July to 426 USD/MT in August. The prices fell later on owing to the low support from the upstream industries.

Europe

The constraints of inflation and the poor purchasing appetite of the consumer sector forced the calcium carbide price graph to trace a downward trajectory. The contraction of the construction industry was another significant contributor to the decline in the prices of calcium carbide. The supply chains, on the other hand, worked effectively only to increase the inventories, due to which the manufacturing industries had to slow down their production rates, hampering the overall sentiments of the calcium carbide price trend.

North America

The initial phase of the third quarter struggled with the downfall of the demand for calcium carbide from the downstream sector and the rise in inflationary pressure on the region. However, the middle of the quarter started to show signs of improvement on the basis of the surge in demand from the construction industries and the rising cost of raw materials.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Calcium Carbide are likely to experience a period of stagnancy due to the ill effects of inflation and the plunging condition of the global end-user industries.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

The Calcium Carbide market in Asia exhibited fluctuating price sentiments throughout the said period. Prices continued their downward journey in the Chinese Calcium Carbide market. Even after the lockdown opened up, the market was still struggling as, along with low domestic demand, the export queries were also at a bare minimum because of high global inflation.

The downstream consuming sectors struggled greatly.  Some reverse fluctuations were observed in the second quarter as the market strived for stability, and some demands were posed. However, the improvements were insignificant and didn’t have much impact on the price trend. An approximate decline of about 25% was observed in the Chinese market over the six-month period as the market closed quarter two at an average spot price of around 414 USD/MT in June’23.

Europe

European Calcium Carbide experienced mixed price trend during the first half of the year 2023. In the first quarter, the prices continued their upward journey as the inflationary pressure was still high.  As the quarters shifted, the lowered demands in the market, as many downstream industries shut down production because of unsustainable production costs, forced the suppliers to reduce the prices as the inventories kept piling up; hence, the prices declined in the second quarter.

North America

Calcium Carbide prices inclined in Q1 and declined in Q2. The trade sentiments were relatively stronger here as, despite the high prices, significant queries were received in the first quarter. It was the stabilizing crude oil prices and a drop in demand that caused the price trend to fall in the second quarter after a long, strong run.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, Calcium Carbide prices are likely to continue to fluctuate in the upcoming months as well since the downstream demands are going to remain the driving factor.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend for the Q2, Q3 and Q4 of 2022

Asia

Calcium Carbide observed mixed price trend in the Asian region during the final three quarters of the year 2022. The second quarter witnessed a fair run for Calcium Carbide in the Indian market, but the Chinese market struggled throughout, primarily because of the rising Covid 19 cases and the lockdown put in place to contain them. As the industrial shutdown brought the downstream demands, especially from steel and chemical industries, down, the prices were reduced because of the demand destruction.

Exports were also seized, and the domestic market weakened. In the later months, even when the lockdown was abolished and trade opened, the industries struggled to revive. Indian market had moderate performance throughout, but in the Chinese Calcium Carbide market, prices remained in a slump; though some marginal improvement was noticed in the last quarter, it was still insignificant. Overall, the market sentiments remained muted.

Europe

Contrary to the Chinese market, Calcium Carbide prices remained on an upward-inclined trajectory in the European market. Geopolitical tensions and Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine led to skyrocketing crude oil and energy prices, which eventually shot up the production costs for almost all commodities, including Calcium Carbide. Hence, the price trend inclined sharply in most European countries and remained so throughout the discussed period.

North America

The Calcium Carbide prices fluctuated in the North American countries during the said period. Q2 started with falling prices as the market uncertainties and heightened inflation amidst various geopolitical tensions hit consumer sentiments, and the demand declined for Calcium Carbide across the American market. This fall in prices lasted till the middle of the third quarter, after which, as the supply chains improved a little and the Chinese market also started opening, the downstream demands rebounded, and prices started improving and continued this journey till the end of the final quarter.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, given the fluctuating market sentiments, the future projections do not look very promising for Calcium Carbide price trend.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend For the First Quarter of 2022

Asia

The Asian calcium carbide market entered a downward trend, with manufacturer quotations falling by 25.2 percent in China in Q1 2022 and similar drops in other Asian countries. This drop in China was prompted by the Chinese government's relentless attempts to reduce power rationing, which resulted in higher production rates in China's manufacturing facilities, reducing the supply-demand gap.

During February, prices in India were seen hovering at 821-875 USD/MT CFR Kolkata. The COVID-19 closure in China resulted in lower output, higher supply rates, and more stockpiles, resulting in lower calcium carbide pricing.

Europe

During the first quarter of 2022, Europe witnessed a drop in calcium carbide market sentiments, with prices starting at 940 USD/MT FD Hamburg in January and hovering around 899-959 USD/MT FD Hamburg in Germany during February. Due to supply chain interruption and a power outage, Q1 Germany saw a 6.7 percent drop in sales compared to the prior quarter last year. The demand for downstream PVC, cannons, lamps, and headlights declined, resulting in a decrease in calcium carbide prices.

North America

Despite an improvement in the supply-demand imbalance, market sentiment for calcium carbide in the North American region remained depressed throughout the fourth quarter of 2021. This improvement could be linked to improved post-hurricane season output rates at manufacturing plants in the United States.

The LME and worldwide markets for mining metals and chemicals, on the other hand, witnessed large drops. As a result, the offers were constantly dropping, and FOB Midwest (USA) negotiations for calcium carbide powder fell by 7.37 percent during the quarter, with prices finalised at 1130 USD/MT in December.
 

Calcium Carbide Price Trend For the Fourth Quarter of 2021

Asia

After reaching a new high in the fourth quarter of 2021, the Asian calcium carbide market declined. High rates and limited availability of freight vessels in the region imposed disproportionate cost support in the exported volumes, despite strong demand from the downstream PVC manufacturing sector.

The Chinese government's ongoing efforts to minimise electricity rationing have increased operational loads in the domestic market. As a result of the ripple effect, the offers for calcium carbide were resolved at 978 USD/MT in the fourth quarter.

Europe

Throughout the fourth quarter of 2021, the European calcium carbide market remained buoyant. This shift in market sentiment can be related to Europe's prolonged energy crisis, which has resulted in lower production rates at manufacturing plants. As a result, international prices for mining metals and chemicals have been cut. As a result of the increased demand from the downstream industry, calcium carbide prices remained buoyant during the fourth quarter of 2021.

North America

Despite an improvement in the supply-demand imbalance, market sentiment for calcium carbide in the North American region remained depressed throughout the fourth quarter of 2021. This improvement can be linked to improved post-hurricane season output rates at manufacturing plants in the United States.

The LME and worldwide markets for mining metals and chemicals, on the other hand, have seen large drops. As a result, the offers were constantly dropped, and FOB Midwest (USA) negotiations for calcium carbide powder fell by 7.37 percent during the quarter, with prices finalised at 1130 USD/MT in December.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Calcium Carbide. 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.