China's economic woes send prices of steelmaking metals sliding

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Steel inventories have piled up in China, but production has not slowed as steelmakers anticipate economic stimulus measures by the government.  © Reuters

SHINICHI ARAKAWA and HIROMITSU GOTO, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- The price of vanadium and other metals used in steelmaking has dropped to lows not seen in several months as demand softens on the back of a slowing Chinese economy.

The European spot rate for ferrovanadium, the benchmark for vanadium, is recently hovering at around $32.35 a kilogram, down 21% from the year-to-date high recorded in March. The commodity, used as a steel additive, last touched the trough in November of last year.

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