US ATO (Antimony TriOxide) pricing moved sharply lower through May as weakening downstream demand combined with more comfortable supply conditions to pressure spot offers. Early in the month, electrical and electronic appliance assemblers cut back on resin purchases and scaled down spring production plans, while textile and construction activity remained muted, offering little support. At the same time, domestic oxide furnaces operated smoothly at higher throughput, and storage along the East and Gulf Coasts stayed well supplied, reducing any urgency among buyers. With feedstock metal costs easing and port operations running predictably, the market settled into a clear downward trend, leaving ATO values in Baltimore noticeably softer.
Demand softness in flame-retardant applications continued to weigh on ATO pricing, with the electrical and electronic appliances sector delaying resin purchases for polypropylene masterbatch and converters limiting buying to short-term needs. Textile uses tied to conveyor belts...
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