Source: Deutsche Nachrichten
The United States, Europe and other industrialized economies are investing in alternative raw material supply chains. Building new capacity takes time, however, leaving China’s near-monopoly in many critical raw materials a decisive factor in security of supply.
The latest TRADIUM Market Report Q3/2026 highlights diverging market trends:
- Rare earths: Dysprosium and terbium prices are rising sharply in Western markets as Chinese exports remain low and Western inventories dwindle.
- Gallium and germanium: China’s exports remain highly volatile. Germanium shortages are deepening, with prices outside China reaching record highs.
- Indium: Strong demand from high-tech applications is meeting structurally constrained supply and additional trade barriers.
- Rhenium: Aerospace demand was subdued in the third quarter, but supply remains tight. If buyers catch up on deferred purchases, the market could tighten quickly.
- Antimony, bismuth and tellurium: These small, specialized markets remain particularly vulnerable to disruption because of their heavy reliance on Chinese refining.
- Precious metals: Geopolitical uncertainty, interest-rate trends and industrial demand continued to shape gold, silver, platinum and palladium markets in the third quarter.
Across these markets, a common pattern is emerging: new projects and supply chains are taking shape worldwide, but their impact on physical supply remains limited. This makes a closer look at individual raw material markets particularly valuable.
The TRADIUM Market Report Q3/2026 brings together developments that can be difficult to connect in day-to-day business:
- Which raw material markets remain particularly tight?
- Where are new sources of supply and processing capacity emerging?
- Which policy decisions are already affecting supply and prices?
- Where do announcements still fall well short of translating into material available to buyers?
The analysis is complemented by insights from TRADIUM’s raw material experts, drawing on their daily trading experience.
The Q3/2026 Market Report is available free of charge as a PDF.
The data and analysis featured in the report are also available on our dedicated pages for rare earths, minor metals and precious metals. The specialist editorial team at rawmaterials.net covers the latest developments daily.