China’s waste lead-acid battery prices were broadly unchanged on Oct. 15, with most secondary-lead smelters keeping purchase prices steady and buying only what they needed. Relatively sufficient inventories of scrap-battery feedstock reduced pressure on smelters to raise bids or make widespread adjustments, leaving only a few facilities changing prices.
Suppliers were also holding back. Lead prices had been moving at elevated levels, prompting stronger caution among scrap-battery holders and concern in some parts of the recycling trade that prices might not rise much further. Most recyclers continued to buy and sell quickly, avoiding large inventories and the risk of being left with material if market conditions weakened.
The near-term market was therefore expected to remain broadly stable alongside lead prices. The main variables were the subsequent direction of lead and the speed at which smelters used their existing scrap-battery stocks. On Oct. 16, prices again remained mostly flat, while trading was described as subdued; after lead prices pulled back, few upstream suppliers were actively seeking prices or selling, and smelter inventories were still considered sufficient.
A separate update on Oct. 19 said a small-to-medium secondary-lead producer in Ningxia suspended scrap-battery unloading and purchases for three days because road repairs inside the plant area prevented vehicles from passing. Purchasing was expected to resume after construction ended, making the facility’s operating schedule another short-term factor for local raw-material flows.