Cerium metal prices in the United States remained stable at high levels during early December 2025 after a 3.6% surge in November. Cerium metal market continued to face tight inventory conditions and strong demand from automobile and Steel industry, keeping prices well-supported.
Ongoing trade disputes between the US and China also contributed to underpinning the prices. Delivery of cerium metal from Asian producers, mainly China, was reduced, which constricted the import channel and further depleted stocks on hand. Limited Chinese export availability maintained elevated import costs and reinforced the tightness in the U.S. supply landscape.
Domestic cerium metal production capacity remained limited, keeping the U.S. heavily dependent on overseas suppliers. While the country continued strengthening its rare-earth ecosystem—supported by ongoing development at MP Materials and USA Rare Earth—these medium-term advancements have yet to provide substantial near-term relief to supply constraints.
China and Japan accounts for a large portion of the United States' Cerium metal requirements; therefore, fluctuations in China's and Japan's export policies, transportation costs, and international relations left the Cerium market vulnerable to change. Recently, China has announced that it will relax these restrictions for one year, leading to increased global availability of cerium metal as well as a decrease in the risk associated with Cerium supply chain disruptions.
Demand in the automotive industry remained healthy. Sales of new vehicles in the U.S. reached 1,274,624 units in November 2025, a marginal 0.2% month-on-month increase. This increased the cerium metal demand in the downstream catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters.
The U.S. steel sector also provided steady support to cerium metal consumption. Production of raw steel in the US during the week that ended on 6 December 2025 was 1,734,000 net tons, with a capacity utilization rate of 75.7% - an increase of 4.6% compared to the same week last year, which contributed to continued strong industrial demand for cerium additives.
By contrast, demand from glass producers and corrosion-resistant coating manufacturers remained limited. Weak construction activity constrained consumption across these segments, with several indicators pointing to subdued market momentum through November and early December.
The U.S. construction sector continued to face headwinds, projected to contract 2.7% in real terms for 2025. High input costs, financing challenges, and ongoing supply-chain disruptions weighed on new project starts.
According to ChemAnalyst data China's temporary lifting of export restrictions may add to the U.S.'s cerium metal supplies in the near future. As a result, this may alleviate some of the price pressures and allow for a modest decrease in pricing, but due to continued growth in both the automobile and steel industries, the overall stability of the market should continue for the foreseeable future.
