Molybdenum Disulfide Price Trend and Forecast

Molybdenum Disulfide Regional Price Overview

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

Molybdenum Disulfide Price Trend for the First Half of 2024

Asia

The molybdenum disulfide market in Asia, particularly China, reflected the tight supply of molybdenum oxide. As the main hub for molybdenum oxide, China's market conditions had a strong influence on molybdenum disulfide prices. The upward pressure on molybdenum oxide prices due to reduced mining output and low concentrate availability in Q1 caused molybdenum disulfide prices to increase accordingly.
 

Molybdenum Disulfide Price Chart

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The market saw volatility with fluctuating spot demand and varying raw material costs. By Q2, the situation remained tight, as concentrate shortages persisted despite attempts to increase production, leading to sustained upward pressure on molybdenum disulfide prices. This trend was exacerbated by limited molybdenum supplies from Chinese converters and high regional demand, especially from industrial sectors that rely on molybdenum disulfide for lubrication and other applications.

Europe

In Europe, the molybdenum disulfide market mirrored the slow demand seen in the molybdenum oxide market. The region experienced weaker downstream activity, particularly from the stainless-steel sector, which saw production cuts and lower offtakes in the first quarter. As a result, molybdenum disulfide prices remained under downward pressure for most of the first half of the year. This was despite a tight concentrate supply, as limited demand from key end-use sectors, combined with economic uncertainty, restrained any significant price recovery. While stainless steel consumption showed an unexpected increase in Q1, the overall bearish sentiment in the market and strikes in Finland further dampened molybdenum disulfide pricing, keeping it aligned with the broader molybdenum oxide trends in the region.

North America

The North American molybdenum disulfide market followed a similar trajectory to molybdenum oxide, with prices initially stable in Q1 but later experiencing upward pressure due to supply constraints. While demand for molybdenum disulfide from sectors such as oil and gas remained consistent, the limited supply of molybdenum concentrates, particularly in Q2, pushed prices higher.

The market saw a temporary stabilization in the early part of Q2, as production issues in the molybdenum sector were gradually resolved, leading to a slight correction in prices. However, by mid-Q2, ongoing tightness in the global molybdenum supply and external challenges such as transportation disruptions led to renewed upward pressure on molybdenum disulfide prices in North America.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Molybdenum Disulfide is expected depend on the functioning of its feedstock commodities largely.
 

Molybdenum Disulfide Price Trend for First Half of 2023

Asia

The production of molybdenum disulfide involves the use of many molybdenum salts, and thus, they have a significant impact on its price trend. The Asia Pacific market witnessed a steep decline in the price trend of molybdenum disulfide as the production activities in China and South Korea inclined by several folds, and the low demand from both domestic and foreign markets worsened the situation. During the first two quarters, due to low rates of procurement, the level of inventories rose by significant amounts and led to a downfall in the prices of molybdenum disulfide.

Europe

The first two quarters of 2023 struggled to stabilize the prices of molybdenum disulfide. The market fundamentals of the region were adversely affected by the subdued demand and influx of excess number of imports. Additionally, the products imported from Asian countries such as China and South Korea were much cheaper as compared to the domestic prices, and this resulted in a rise in the competitiveness of the region and, in turn decline in the prices of molybdenum disulfide.

North America

As opposed to European and Asia Pacific countries, the demand for molybdenum disulfide was moderate in the first and second quarters of 2023. The dye and pigment industries supported the market sentiments of molybdenum disulfide prices. However, the pressure of inflation and slow economic growth of the region affected the price trend negatively.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Molybdenum disulfide is estimated to follow a volatile trend in the upcoming months as the ill effects of inflation and weak trading sentiments will likely keep the price trend in the negative zone.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Molybdenum Disulfide. 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.