Some market participants had identified the potential for the standard grade price to gain ground ahead of alloy-grade in recent weeks due to demand for metal from China's cobalt salts sector, but the two had traded at parity until now after China’s State Reserve Bureau-buying last year tightened cut cathode supply.
Fastmarkets’ daily price assessment for
cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam is $19.15-20 per lb on Friday, up from $18.65-19.35 per lb on Thursday.
This compares with Fastmarkets’ price assessment for cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam at $19.15-19.75 per...
