Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Asian Stocks Rally as Tech Rebounds, China Lags on Nvidia Competition Concerns 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
China has halted antimony exports to the European Union since October, customs data reveals, following export restrictions that have sent global prices soaring. As the world’s leading supplier, China accounted for nearly half of global antimony output in 2023. The restrictions, first announced in August for national security reasons, took effect in September, triggering a stockpiling rush. In December, China imposed a full ban on U.S. exports of antimony and other critical minerals.
The supply chain disruption has driven European stock levels to critically low points, pushing regulus grade II antimony prices up by over 300% year-over-year, according to Argus analyst Cristina Belda. The Netherlands, the EU’s top importer of Chinese antimony, saw shipments drop from 3,012 metric tons in 2023 to 1,017 tons in 2024, with no deliveries since October.
Unlike previous Chinese export restrictions, where shipments resumed within months after companies secured new licenses, antimony exports remain paused. While China’s total antimony exports fell 24.1% in 2024 to 38,632 tons, shipments continued to markets like Brazil, Thailand, and Russia.
China’s antimony export controls pose major challenges for industries relying on the metal, including semiconductors, flame retardants, solar power equipment, and munitions. The prolonged halt in shipments to Europe raises concerns about long-term supply chain stability and price volatility.
