For the Quarter Ending September 2025
North America
• In North America, the Sodium Metal Price Index is estimated to have risen by approximately +2.5% quarter-over-quarter in Q3 2025, driven by stronger demand from specialty chemicals and early-stage energy storage applications.
• Sodium Metal Spot Price strengthened as downstream chemical synthesis firms and metallurgical users increased procurement ahead of year-end contract renewals, tightening available immediate volumes.
• Sodium Metal Price Forecast indicates moderate upside into Q4 2025, supported by emerging sodium-ion and sodium-metal-chloride battery projects, albeit limited by capacity constraints and safety/regulatory handling costs.
• Sodium Metal Production Cost Trend moved upward, driven by elevated energy/electricity prices in the U.S., higher inert-gas and storage costs for handling pyrophoric sodium, and modest feed-material cost increases
• Sodium Metal Demand Outlook remains constructive: major downstream uses include chemical synthesis (especially high-purity intermediates), metallurgical alloying and refining, and nascent energy-storage sectors in the U.S. and Canada.
• The Sodium Metal Price Index was underpinned by inventory draws at specialty chemical fabricators, import lead-time lengthening for ultra-high-purity grades, and coverage buying for battery projects.
Why did the price of Sodium Metal change in September 2025 in North America?
• The Sodium Metal Price Index increased in September 2025 because downstream specialty chemical firms accelerated order placement ahead of expected specification changes and feed-stock cost rises, drawing down prompt inventories.
• At the same time, logistic and regulatory handling costs for sodium metal shipments climbed—raising effective landed cost and supporting higher Spot Price levels.
• Additionally, announcement of sodium-ion battery factory expansions in North America (e.g., the U.S.) boosted buyer confidence and coverage activity, tightening available supply and reinforcing upward movement in the Price Index.
APAC
• In China, the Sodium Metal Price Index rose by 2.83% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting robust domestic demand.
• The average Sodium Metal price for the quarter was USD 2105.67/MT on FOB Shanghai basis.
• Sodium Metal Spot Price strengthened as inventories tightened, supporting higher offers and sustained buying interest.
• Sodium Metal Price Forecast shows mild volatility driven by seasonal manufacturing swings and import adjustments.
• Sodium Metal Production Cost Trend remained steady due to stable energy and caustic soda inputs.
• Sodium Metal Demand Outlook remains positive from sodium-ion battery supply chains and expanding grid storage.
• Sodium Metal Price Index momentum supported by efficient logistics, port operations and steady industrial offtake.
• Export demand from India, Japan, Korea and USA tightened available volumes, underpinning sellers' pricing confidence.
Why did the price of Sodium Metal change in September 2025 in APAC?
• Robust export and domestic demand outpaced modest inventory draws, exerting upward pressure on Price Index.
• Stable logistics and port operations maintained supply continuity, preventing shocks despite stronger offtake expectations regionally.
• Caustic soda output rose but inventories fell, indicating strong consumption and underpinning upward price momentum.
Europe
• In Europe, the Sodium Metal Price Index is estimated to have risen by approximately +1.8% quarter-over-quarter, supported by modest upticks in specialty chemical and battery-material demand.
• The Sodium Metal Spot Price strengthened somewhat as inventories of higher-purity material tightened and buyers in chemical synthesis and high-end applications sought coverage.
• The Sodium Metal Price Forecast points to moderate upward risk into Q4 2025, driven by emerging sodium-ion battery activity and stricter supply of high-purity grades, though broad volumes remain modest in size.
• The Sodium Metal Production Cost Trend edged upward in Europe, owing to higher energy and electricity costs in major manufacturing countries (e.g., Germany, France) and increased costs for inert-gas storage and handling of pyrophoric metal.
• The Sodium Metal Demand Outlook is constructive: key downstream sectors include specialty chemicals/pharmaceuticals (e.g., sodium borohydride production) and early-stage sodium-ion battery manufacturing, with metallurgy (reducing agent/alloying) also contributing.
• The Sodium Metal Price Index benefited this quarter from tighter availability of ultra-high-purity grades, modest restocking by chemical-intermediate producers, and initial project commitments in battery materials.
• Although bulk volumes remain small relative to major base metals, supply chains for niche sodium metal face capacity and regulatory constraints in Europe, supporting baseline pricing.
Why did the price of Sodium Metal change in September 2025 in Europe?
• The Sodium Metal Price Index increased in September 2025 because demand-pull from specialty chemical manufacturers accelerated—especially for sodium borohydride intermediates—and buyers covered ahead of anticipated feed-stock constraints.
• Concurrently, higher energy and inert-gas costs (key in sodium metal production) elevated landed production cost, supporting upward movement in the Spot Price.
• Logistics and handling for high-purity sodium metal remain quite complex in Europe (hazardous substance regulation), which in this case limited rapid supply expansion and helped sustain the Price Index.
