• Skip to main content

    Prices

    February 6, 2020

    CRU: Chinese Zinc Market Feels the Impact of Novel Coronavirus

    Written by Dina Yu

    By CRU Senior Analysts Dina Yu and Helen O’Cleary, from CRU’s Zinc Monitor

    The outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan has delayed the post-New Year restart in most Chinese mainland provinces, with the exception of Tibet, Xinjiang and Gansu. Sadly, the death toll and infection rate continue to rise, so restrictions remain in place in a bid to contain the spread. While businesses in Jinlin and Qinghai restarted on Feb. 3, the shutdown in most provinces will continue until Feb. 10. Businesses in Tianjin remain closed and a restart date has yet to be set, while in Hubei, where the outbreak originated, businesses have been told to remain closed until Feb. 14.

    Dina Yu

    Read more from Dina Yu

    Latest in Prices

    Sheet and plate price gains accelerate as 2026 tons dry up

    Sheet and plate prices continue to push higher as mills charge a premium for what little spot tonnage remains for 2026, market participants said. SMU’s price assessment for hot-rolled (HR) coil now stands at $1,290 per short ton (st) on average, up $10/st week over week. HR price gains averaged $5/st w/w throughout July and August, with no changes in prices some weeks and gains of at most $15/st w/w. In September and October to date, in contrast, prices have increased every week—with the average gain at $11.25/st w/w and w/w gains as high as $20/st. Prices for cold-rolled and coated products continued to increase as well. SMU's price assessment for cold-rolled (CR) coil clocked in at...