China witnessed a slowdown in the output growth of the ten kinds of nonferrous metals in the first three quarters and a price fall starting from April, according to a report published by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Thursday.

 

The report said that the national output of the ten kinds of non-ferrous metals (including copper, aluminum, zinc, lead, nickel, antimony, tin, mercury, magnesium and titanium) totaled 19.19 million tons in January-September, up 12.8 percent on year, which was 11.6 percentage points lower than the growth of the same period last year.

 

In this period, the output of electrolytic aluminum reached 10.06 million tons, up 12.6 percent on year, 21.6 percentage points lower than the growth in the year earlier period. The output of copper and zinc grew 13.7 percent and 8.8 percent, 2.4 and 10.2 percentage points lower, respectively. Lead output increased 16.5 percent, 10.5 percentage points higher, and alumina output rose by 21.3 percent, 29.4 percentage points lower.

 

The prices of main nonferrous metals managed to rise in the first quarter, but started to fall gradually after that.

 

The average spot prices of copper, electrolytic aluminum, lead and zinc in the domestic market were 60,800 yuan/ton, 18,200 yuan/ton, 18,200 yuan/ton and 14,600 yuan/ton in September respectively, falling 4.1 percent, 10.4 percent, 1.9 percent and 1.3 percent on month, and 12.1 percent, 15.8 percent, 22.8 percent and 48.1 percent on year.

 

In the first eight months, the profit of nonferrous industry dropped 3.7 percent to 92.5 billion yuan, in sharp comparison with the 30.8 percent growth a year earlier.

 

Editor:    Ivy

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