Calcium Carbonate Prices Demonstrate Mixed Sentiments in the Global Market

The prolonged global economic challenges have been driving up building material costs and causing uncertainty in delivery times and product availability. The supply and energy shortages have continued to weigh heavily on the construction industry, impacting the pricing dynamics of several chemicals and petrochemicals, including Calcium Carbonate.

In the US, the ongoing concern about a skilled workforce and falling natural gas prices have pressured the market sentiments of Calcium Carbonate in the domestic region. The ChemAnalyst data shows that the Calcium Carbonate prices have demonstrated an inclination of nearly USD 20 per tonne in the third week of September due to active inquiries from the end-user industries. In Argentina, Cement consumption in Argentina has increased by 7% on a monthly basis to 1,226,646 tonnes in August 2022. In addition, to fight growing inflation, the US government might increase the interest rates with tight monetary policies.

Furthermore, the European region's slowdown in construction has impacted the demand fundamentals for Calcium Carbonate. The data shows that downstream cement consumption in Spain was 5.3% lower in August on a yearly basis. As per the observed market scenario, rising electricity price has doubled the downstream cement production cost. The market players anticipate that the volatility in the energy prices will lead to widespread plant closures across the EU, creating a crisis in the construction supply chain. On the other hand, in India, the price trends demonstrated a stable trend last week, owing to weak inquiries from the downstream construction sector.

As per ChemAnalyst, the Calcium Carbonate market will further witness buoyancy in the regional markets. The fluctuating input costs and inflationary pressures are projected to impact the market value of Calcium Carbonate in the forthcoming weeks. However, the experts anticipated that the end of the monsoon season in India would be accompanied by increased construction activities, strengthening the market fundamentals of Calcium Carbonate in the domestic market.