Most smelters in Lengshuijiang area, Hunan Province have not resumed production after the Spring Festival holiday and part of them will start producing on 8th which is a lucky number in China, means lots of money January of Lunar Year, so currently there are few offers in antimony ingot market at the same level as that before the holiday. Antimony trioxide exporters watch the market after the Spring Festival holiday and reveals a stable offer in general compared with that before the holiday.

More producers of antimony ingot stopped production as the Chinese Spring Festival holiday is coming and the buying activity in antimony ingot spot market is still inactive. A Hunan-based antimony ingot producer with an output of about 300tpm said that he stopped production late last week and will come to the market after the Spring Festival.As Chinese Spring Festival holiday is coming late this week, some market insiders had left the market and part of them will leave for the holiday gradually this week.

Antimony ingot export market saw few deals in the past weeks as the demand from overseas market was weak during the Christmas holiday about two weeks around the Christmas Day and there were few inquiries in international market as most customers just come back from Christmas or New Year holiday. Most suppliers of antimony ingot got losses in 2011 owing to the price decrease. As the Chinese Spring Festival holiday is approaching, some suppliers refuse to undersell antimony ingot now.

Domestic antimony trioxide market was inactive before the New Year holiday, and expect the market cannot turn well before the Spring Festival holiday. Antimony trioxide export market is quiet with part of exporters ceasing offering, and some exporters quote USD10,650-10,850t FOB China for antimony trioxide 99.5%min currently, lower than that before the New Year holiday. A Guangdong-based exporter said that he did not conclude any deals in the past two week.