Nearly twenty producers have announced TiO2 price increases this month. While most firm orders have yet to rise, the downtrend has clearly reversed and earlier bargain prices are no longer available, so sentiment has turned positive in the short term. Drivers include high feedstock costs, widespread producer losses, low operating rates, better new-order intake this month, and the usual pre-season build-up for the "golden September–silver October". Mills are now focused on clearing backlogs and some have restarted idled lines; the market is expected to run steady-to-strong in the near term.
Domestic titanium-slag prices decreased this month. With current levels already below break-even for most producers, restart interest is low, keeping overall operating rates depressed and prices at the lower end.
The Panxi titanium-ore market is in disarray. On one hand, Panzhihua Steel's continued control of supply has tightened low-phosphorus feedstock, prompting miners to withhold stock; on the other, lacklustre downstream demand is forcing buyers to press prices lower, leading some miners to dump high-phosphorus concentrate at distressed levels. The result is a stand-off: "high quotes, no deals" versus "fire-sale lows". With Panzhihua Steel expected to keep volumes restricted this month, this structural mismatch is likely to worsen. In the short term, the market will remain choppy—high nominal offers but thin actual sales—while quality differentials become ever more pronounced.
Important market dynamics in Aug. 2025
China's TiO2 exports to India and Brazil fell 49% and 56% YoY in Q2 2025, respectively.
In Aug. 2025, EU court rejected the appeals of France and the European Commission, confirming the cancellation of the classification of specific powder forms of TiO2 as a suspected carcinogen via inhalation.
On 6 Aug., 2025, the EI report for Longxing Titanium's 200 t/a nanoscale TiO2 production technology upgrade and renovation project was publicised.
On 15 Aug., 2025, Panzhihua Taihai issued a price adjustment letter for TiO2.
The USD/RMB exchange rate in this newsletter is USD1.00=RMB7.1496 on 1 Aug. 2025, sourced from the People's Bank of China. All the prices mentioned in this newsletter will include the VAT, unless otherwise specified. If you would like to cover any specific topics or investigate any covered subjects in more details, please contact us on +86-20-37616606, or econtact@cnchemicals.com

