TiO2 Supplies and Prices to move up: Good time to secure supplies for Q2 2018

TiO2 market price hike comes back again. We have revised our assessment from stable to buy now. Four factors contributing to current price hike; increase in raw material prices, global mergers, and Chinese government's crack down on pollution leading to tight supplies. In sum, the outlook for the current quarter suggests that titanium dioxide prices will not be holding firm. Markets are tight and physical deals are picking up within on going round of European and Chinese producers' price hikes. This is, anyway, the best time for manufacturers to negotiate price for securing supplies for the second quarter of 2018 or loose on market competitiveness.