The titanium dioxide sector continues to strengthen; Jinpu Titanium hit the daily limit-up, while Huiyun Titanium, Guocheng Mining, Kuncai Technology, and LB Group followed suit with gains.
In terms of market news, multiple titanium dioxide producers have recently announced price hikes. LB Group, a leading player in the industry, issued a price adjustment notice announcing an increase of 1,000 yuan per tonne for domestic titanium dioxide and 150 USD per tonne for export prices. More than ten other companies—including Huiyun Titanium, Lubei Chemical, and Jinhai Titanium—have subsequently raised their prices by similar margins.
Industry analysts attribute the collective price hikes by titanium dioxide producers to several key factors. First, a sharp surge in raw material costs—driven by a spike in sulfur prices that prompted a shift toward substitutes and subsequently pushed up the prices of ore-based and smelting-derived acids—has significantly increased cost pressures. Second, leading enterprises initiated price adjustments, with over a dozen others quickly following suit; this created an atmosphere of collective price increases and demonstrated a strong determination to maintain price levels. Third, companies are proactively seeking to protect prices to safeguard their cost baselines; with most firms facing declining profitability and widening profit disparities—compounded by falling ferrous sulfate prices in some regions and factory-gate prices hovering near cost levels—there is little room for further price cuts, leading manufacturers to generally adopt a "wait-and-see" stance focused on holding prices firm. Finally, price adjustments have been driven by the interplay of supply and demand: while domestic end-user demand has weakened and spot supplies remain ample, raw material costs provide a rigid price floor; unable to drive price increases from the demand side, the persistent pressure from costs ultimately triggered a new round of price hikes.