Needle Coke Market Analysis and Future Outlook
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Industry News
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Release time:
2025/11/17
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Information Summary:
Recently, several domestic needle coke producers have raised their prices, with the domestic needle coke market experiencing a general price increase of 1,000 yuan in March. Specifically, coal-based needle coke now fetches between 11,000 and 12,500 yuan per ton, while oil-based needle coke is priced at between 11,500 and 13,500 yuan per ton; raw coke prices range from 8,500 to 10,500 yuan per ton.
Recently, several domestic needle coke producers have raised their prices, with the domestic needle coke market experiencing a general price increase of 1,000 yuan in March. Specifically, coal-based needle coke now sells for between 11,000 and 12,500 yuan per ton, while oil-based needle coke is priced at between 11,500 and 13,500 yuan per ton. Raw coke prices range from 8,500 to 10,500 yuan per ton.
In terms of import volumes, the total imports of coal-based needle coke from January to February amounted to 4,390 tons, while oil-based needle coke imports totaled 9,549 tons.
Regarding import prices: coal-based needle coke is priced at USD 1,700–1,900 per ton from Japan and USD 1,600 per ton from South Korea; oil-based needle coke is priced at USD 1,900–2,100 per ton from the UK and USD 2,500–2,800 per ton from Japan. The price of coke used for negative electrodes ranges from USD 1,200 to USD 1,500 per ton.
In terms of export volume, China’s total exports of oil-based needle coke from January to February amounted to 10,863 tons, with export prices ranging from US$1,700 to US$1,900 per ton.
According to industry insiders, the recent rise in needle coke prices is mainly influenced by the following factors:
1. Affected by the pandemic, production at some factories has been impacted, making it impossible to fully meet the strong demand from downstream markets.
2. The epidemic has affected transportation, with traffic restrictions in some regions and soaring freight rates in areas where transportation remains unimpeded.
3. Affected by the Russia-Ukraine war, raw material prices have risen.
4. The rise in petroleum coke prices has boosted market sentiment, prompting downstream companies to increase their willingness to purchase needle coke.
From the downstream market perspective, the negative electrode material market will enter a new round of price negotiations this month. Whether the price increase for needle coke can be accepted by the negative electrode market remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the negative electrode market continues to have strong demand for raw materials, providing robust support for needle coke prices.
As for the graphite electrode market, influenced by a combination of factors—including the pandemic, rainfall, and liquidity conditions—the downstream demand in the steel market during the first half of April remained relatively sluggish. Consequently, electric furnace steel plants continued to operate at reduced capacity due to losses, making it difficult to reverse this situation. However, as the pandemic situation and the supply of scrap steel improve in the second half of the month, both production and sales in the steel market are expected to pick up, driving an increase in demand for graphite electrodes. It is forecast that domestic graphite electrode prices in April will initially stabilize before gradually rising. Similarly, the graphite electrode market’s demand for needle coke is also expected to follow a trend of initial stability followed by growth.
In overseas markets, local demand from foreign companies has been increasing, leading them to reduce their exports to China. In recent years, influenced by the global drive toward carbon neutrality, the supply of needle coke raw materials has declined, resulting in insufficient production capacity among foreign needle coke producers. Meanwhile, the overseas graphite electrode market has seen a rising demand for Chinese needle coke. Given China’s competitive advantages in both quantity and price, needle coke exports are expected to surpass 50,000 tons in 2022.
In summary, influenced by strong downstream demand for raw materials and rising crude oil prices, the needle coke market still has room for price increases in April.
Keywords:
Jiasheng
Carbon
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Shanxi Jiasheng Carbon Technology Co., Ltd.
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