This week, the silicon material market saw low transaction volumes, with some orders still under negotiation, and no significant orders affecting price trends. The Silicon Industry Association indicated that prices remained stable primarily due to unchanged downstream demand, limiting sales opportunities for silicon materials. Despite a strong desire among companies to raise prices, their efforts remain somewhat passive.
| Material | Average Price (CNY/kg) | Average Price (USD/kg) | Weekly Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| N-type polysilicon | 41.7 | 5.86 | 0.00 |
| N-type granular silicon | 37.3 | 5.21 | 0.00 |
| Mono recharge | 36.4 | 5.10 | 0.00 |
| Mono dense | 34.5 | 4.83 | 0.00 |
| Mono popcorn | 31.4 | 4.39 | 0.00 |
Reports from relevant companies show an increase in the number of enterprises undergoing maintenance or reducing capacity, now totaling 14, with most operating at below 50% capacity. As the dry season approaches, electricity costs have risen to approximately 1.5 times the previous rates, leading to increased production costs for polysilicon in regions like Sichuan and Yunnan. Local capacities are expected to operate at low loads or undergo routine maintenance. Additionally, downstream production forecasts indicate a demand reduction of at least 1 GW for silicon materials in November, suggesting that silicon prices will remain stable for some time.
In the silicon wafer sector, prices experienced a slight decline this week. Recent efforts among wafer manufacturers to collectively reduce production have accelerated inventory clearance, resulting in a decrease of over 10% from previous highs. According to SNEC Consulting, October silicon wafer production has been adjusted to 45-46 GW, with further reductions expected in November to 43-44 GW. Given the current price levels, there may be opportunities for battery manufacturers to stock up, potentially boosting silicon wafer demand and stabilizing prices in the short term.
In the battery segment, prices also fell slightly this week. Following ongoing production cuts, battery inventory is now controlled to within one week, maintaining a relatively healthy level. SNEC Consulting reports that battery production in October was around 48 GW, with slight growth expected in November, though the increase will be limited. However, due to continuous pressure from upstream and downstream segments, the pricing power in the battery sector remains weak, and future price trends will still be influenced by fluctuations in other segments.
