Molybdenum market update on May 28, 2025
The overall domestic molybdenum market remains optimistic. Amid the contradiction between strong downstream inquiry and procurement enthusiasm and the limited growth in raw material spot supply, molybdenum mining enterprises have significantly increased their quotations, driving up price expectations across the entire supply chain. Today, the prices of molybdenum concentrate, ferromolybdenum, and ammonium heptamolybdate have risen to approximately RMB 3,730/ton unit, RMB 243,000/ton, and RMB 235,000/ton, respectively.
On the positive side, several factors are supporting the market:
First, due to stricter environmental policies, high production costs, and declining ore grades, some molybdenum mining enterprises are slowing down capacity release;
Second, even as ferromolybdenum prices continue to rise, many steel enterprises remain willing to enter the market for bidding, and their bidding prices have increased slightly, providing strong support for market sentiment;
Third, recent fluctuations and upward trends in international molybdenum prices are also favorable for domestic price increases.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the third round and fourth batch of Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspections has been fully launched, with eight central teams conducting inspections in five provinces (regions): Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Ningxia.
On the downside, due to the continuous rise in molybdenum prices and limited cash flow among enterprises, downstream users are becoming more cautious in their purchasing behavior.
Data from the China Iron and Steel Association show that in mid-May 2025, the inventory of steel products held by key monitored steel enterprises reached 16.35 million tons, increased by 290,000 tons compared to the previous ten-day period, increased by 1.8%; increased by 3.98 million tons compared to the beginning of the year, increased by 32.2%; decreased by 350,000 tons compared to the same period last month, decreased by 2.1%; decreased by 480,000 tons compared to the same period last year, decreased by 2.9%; increased by 90,000 tons compared to the same period the year before last, increased by 0.6%.
By region: Steel inventory in Northeast China increased by 220,000 tons; In North China, increased by 140,000 tons; In Central South China, increased by 170,000 tons; In East China, decreased by 120,000 tons; In Northwest China, decreased by 100,000 tons; In Southwest China, decreased by 10,000 tons.
Price of molybdenum products on May 28, 2025
Image of molybdenum-copper heat sink plate
