MNI BRIEF: China Rare Earth Magnet ExportsSeen Lower In Q4

China’s exports of the rare earth magnets are projected to average around 4,100 metric tons per month in Q4, representing a 12% year-on-year decline, analysts from Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) wrote on Tuesday, citing a recent survey.

The outlook reflects a combination of factors, including subdued European demand toward year-end and the seasonal slowdown in purchasing activity during the Christmas period. According to the SMM survey, China’s full-year exports of the Neodymium–Iron–Boron (NdFeB) magnets are projected to decline by approximately 10% year-on-year.

U.S. and China trade connections are too strong for their economies to disentangle, but they also lack the political ability to make the deep changes to significantly ease imbalances underlying their tensions, former S&P Global vice chairman Paul Sheard recently told MNI. (See MNI INTERVIEW2: US And China Lack Power)