【Ferro-alloys.com】：The recent upward trend in the ferroboron market has continued, presenting a picture of tightening supply and high price levels. Market bullish sentiment has been steadily rising, with quotes for certain high-end grades such as amorphous low-aluminum ferroboron climbing to around 24,800 RMB/ton. Meanwhile, the Ferroboron Powder B17 market has also been affected. Due to the sharp increase in raw material costs, the market for this specification is currently chaotic, with general market expectations widely targeting above 20,000 RMB/ton.

From the perspective of driving factors, this round of price increases is primarily propelled by two major forces. The first is the tangible supply shock triggered by geopolitical conflicts. Ongoing turmoil in the Middle East has directly led to disruptions in the transportation of Turkish boric acid, with a significant amount of cargo still stranded in the Persian Gulf and unable to arrive smoothly. This has resulted in a tightening supply of domestic boron anhydride raw materials and continuously rising prices. The second factor is the fueling effect of market speculation. Amid expectations of tight supply, traders and holders are generally hoarding goods and reluctant to sell, further amplifying market panic and creating a cycle of "the more prices rise, the less willing holders are to sell." The raw material transportation bottleneck caused by geopolitical tensions has provided the underlying conditions for speculation, while speculative sentiment in turn exacerbates expectations of supply shortages. The two reinforce each other, jointly driving prices higher.

On the production side, cost pressures have begun to materially impact supply. Due to the excessive increase in boron anhydride prices, some producers have been overwhelmed and forced to take measures to suspend production and sales. According to market feedback, some companies have explicitly stated that "costs are too high to continue production, so production and sales have been temporarily halted," further tightening market supply. Regarding transaction conditions, the current market has entered a typical stage of "price increases but difficulty concluding transactions." With price fluctuations being too frequent and the direction unclear, suppliers are extremely reluctant to provide firm quotations, mostly adopting a "negotiate per order" approach or simply declining to quote. Downstream buyers, meanwhile, find themselves in a dilemma, hesitant to chase high prices for fear of a drop, leading to a standoff in negotiations. Overall, market sentiment is highly unstable, and the atmosphere for actual transactions remains relatively deadlocked.

Overall, until the raw material supply issues are substantially alleviated, the tight pattern in the ferroboron market is unlikely to change. It is anticipated that prices will continue to be prone to increases rather than declines in the coming period. However, high-level volatility may intensify, and the difficulty of executing firm orders is expected to continue to increase.

• [Editor:Alakay]