“There continue to be signs of supply shortages in the survey breakdown, with delivery times lengthening further while firms had to dig deeper into their inventories for raw materials,” says the consultancy in a research note. “This is stoking price pressures – the price indices reached a record high this month, which point to a large month-on-month rise in producer prices.”
“Now that the [Chinese] economy is already above its pre-virus trend, we think the pace of growth will wane this year.”
Capital Economics
Interestingly, these supply-side issues did not prevent a rise in the output component, from 52.2 to 52.7. Instead, the lower headline PMI reading mainly was due to a decline in the new orders component, from 52.0 to a one-year low of 51.3, which the Capital Economics analysts suggest shows that demand may be starting to taper off.
The official non-manufacturing PMI increased from 54.9 to 55.2, mainly attributable to a sharp rebound in the construction index from 57.4 to 60.1. Meanwhile, the services index edged down slightly from 54.4 to 54.3.
“Now that the [Chinese] economy is already above its pre-virus trend, we think the pace of growth will wane this year. Tougher restrictions on real estate developer financing and less supportive fiscal policy will probably weigh on construction in the coming months,” says Capital Economics.
“And foreign demand for Chinese consumer goods is likely to fall back over the coming quarters as vaccine rollouts allow global consumption patterns to return closer to normal.”
Higher prices
Iron ore prices rose on Monday amid support from increasing billet prices in China over the weekend and a potential easing of restrictions on steelmaking in Tangshan. Benchmark 62% Fe fines imported into Northern China (CFR Qingdao) were up 4.25%, changing hands for $198.83 a tonne, according to Fastmarkets MB.
The Shanghai copper price registered a second consecutive month of gains on Monday as prices firmed on a potential supply threat in Chile and massive US infrastructure spending plans. The most-traded July copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange closed 0.9% up at 73,950 yuan ($11,617.68) a tonne for a 2.1% monthly gain.
Meanwhile, tin prices have surged to a fresh 10-year high as supply woes persist. Tin prices on the LME hit fresh 10-year highs on May 28, rising 3% to over $30,000/t and up 4.3% for the week.
China’s Yunnan province is currently experiencing power outages affecting smelters. The International Tin Association estimates that smelters will shut for about 10 to 20 days, impacting about 1,000 tonnes to 2,000 tonnes of refined production.
Earthquakes following a volcanic eruption in Congo are also disrupting exports of tin concentrate from mineral-rich North Kivu province, with Congo accounting for 8% of the world’s tin concentrate.
