Commodity Market Report
Global lead short-term outlook February 2023
Report summary
There's been a spate of smelter news. Portovesme has closed, and Plovdiv's accident leaves it idle. Meanwhile, Stolberg's acquisition ends independent primary lead smelting given that all primary lead smelters are now effectively integrated with zinc smelters that can supply a feed of leach residues. Nevertheless, these developments are unlikely to impact the global metal balance because there is sufficient smelting capacity to process the steadily rising level of raw materials. This is reflected in continued concentrate market tightness, which is leading to lower annual contract TCs in 2023. Refined production will therefore only just keep pace with consumption, which is due to grow by 2.3%. Despite reasonably firm fundamentals, economic sentiment has weakened slightly and lead prices have not been immune to some downward pressure on the LME.
Table of contents
- Global
- North America
- China
-
Europe
- Concentrate market
- Project development
- Mines news
- Corporate Activity
- Smelter news
Tables and charts
This report includes 11 images and tables including:
- Battery electric vehicle share of Chinese new energy vehicle market
- Quarterly Consumption
- Spot TCs have lifted from their recent lows despite a narrower LME/SHE arbitrage in February
- Concentrate market TCs
- Lead mine capability, market adjustment and production (kt Pb)
- Global refined lead consumption (kt Pb)
- Global lead mine production (lead in concentrate, kt Pb)
- Global refined lead production (kt Pb)
- Global primary and secondary refined lead production (kt Pb)
- Lead stocks, prices and premia
- Global lead supply and demand (kt)
What's included
This report contains:
Other reports you may be interested in
Commodity Market Report
Global lead short-term outlook April 2024
A third consecutive month of minimal Chinese exports is supportive of prices that have lifted alongside a surge in cancelled LME warrants.
$5,000
Commodity Market Report
Global lead short-term outlook February 2024
Poor demand at Chinese new year saw LME stocks rise to highest level since May 2017
$5,000
Commodity Market Report
Global lead short-term outlook March 2024
The increase in LME stocks in March has been a bearish optic but data do not point to a sudden deterioration in lead's fundamentals.
$5,000