Tin Market Update (January 17, 2013)

Tin prices have gained ground in the past month, with three-month tin rising to $24,850 per metric ton on the London Metal Exchange from $23,225 on December 14, according to data from Metal-Pages.

“There are worries about supply stability while the electronics sector has been picking up,” said Peter Kettle of the International Tin Research Institute in a January 9 Financial Times article. At the same time, as the article points out, worldwide tin production is expected to fall 6 to 7 percent this year. Fifty-two percent of global tin output is used in solder, which is essential for making electronic devices.

Meanwhile, tin inventories are expected to remain low in 2013, with INTL FCStone (NASDAQ:INTL), CPM Group and Barclays (NYSE:BCS) calling for global stocks to average no more than 2.1 to 2.9 weeks of consumption, according to a recent Kitco News article.