China’s antimony metal exports fell in May from a year earlier as a result of weaker buying interest from seaborne consumers who opted to operate from stocks.

China exported 554t of the minor metal in May, down by 22pc from 701t in May 2020 and by 35pc from 847t in April, customs data show.

Antimony metal exports totalled 4,397t during January-May, down by 4pc compared with 4,600t a year earlier. A rise in exports during this year’s first quarter, following a sharp fall in 2020, shored up market confidence and pushed antimony prices to an eight-year high in early March. But a slowdown in buying interest then lowered prices since late March. Prices hit a bottom in mid-June and inched up on support from feedstock supply tightness and higher production cost.

Export prices for metal edged up to $9,600-9,800/t fob on 1 July from $9,500-9,800/t fob on 29 June in line with limited spot availability and higher domestic prices. Higher freight costs and a shortage of containers continue to disrupt shipments from China to Europe and the US, tightening spot supply and pushing up prices there.