Resumen de Will the dark clouds of the graphite industry settle in 2016?
Natural graphite exports from China failed to contribute to the commodities trade resurgence of 18.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) registered in the month of March by China's Customs Data, as weak demand and excessive capacity continued to blight recovery in the graphite market both within and outside the country.
While amorphous graphite prices followed a similar template, vein graphite prices were concluded at premium levels in Sri Lanka for 2016, following the new government's stance to prevent export of raw material and boost in-country value addition.
The natural graphite industry is set to look beyond the year's end and into 2017 for any significant improvement in fortunes. Few signs for recovery in the remaining months of 2016 mean the year is settling at the 'new normal' for the industry since the 2008/2009 global recession.
