Rare Earth Prices Hold Firm Amid Weak Market Activity

Highlights

• Rare earth prices stabilized at high levels:
  • Rare earth carbonate at 36,000 yuan/mt
  • Monazite at 42,500 yuan/mt
• Oxide and metal segments show limited price fluctuations:
  • Pr-Nd oxide at 445,000-446,000 yuan/mt
  • Terbium metal at 8.13-8.17 million yuan/mt
• Magnetic materials market exhibits divergent trends:
  • Lower-end NdFeB blanks seeing steady demand
  • Medium and high-end orders face margin challenges

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_Rare earth prices remained stable despite sluggish trading activity, as suppliers showed little interest in quoting prices, and downstream buyers exhibited weak inquiry behavior. Tight supply, especially in raw ore, has elevated prices, with rare earth carbonate at 36,000 yuan/mt and monazite at 42,500 yuan/mt. However, actual trading volumes remain low, raising concerns about potential supply chain bottlenecks._

These prices are reported in the subscription services Shanghai Metals Market (opens in a new tab) and Asian Metal (opens in a new tab). In the oxide segment, Pr-Nd oxide stayed at 445,000-446,000 yuan/mt, dysprosium oxide at 1.69-1.71 million yuan/mt, and terbium oxide fluctuated slightly around 6.6-6.65 million yuan/mt. Similarly, rare earth metals saw limited price changes, with Pr-Nd alloy at 543,000-547,000 yuan/mt and terbium metal at 8.13-8.17 million yuan/mt.

The magnetic materials market continued to show diverging trends, with lower-end NdFeB blanks seeing steady demand, while medium- and high-end orders struggled with tight margins. The scrap market remained tight as traders adopted a reluctant-to-sell strategy, further limiting liquidity.

Why are suppliers reluctant to sell? Will weak trading activity persist? Does this indicate an impending downturn in the rare earth sector, or are buyers waiting for better price entry points? How will China’s strategic stockpiling impact future availability? If supply remains tight while demand holds, will we see another price surge?

Rare earth markets remain stable but fragile, with tight supply and hesitant buyers keeping volatility in check. Will the balance hold, or is a shake-up coming? Let’s closely watch how these dynamics evolve in the coming weeks.