The tungsten market extended its pullback on April 13 as holders kept selling into accumulated profits while buyers, squeezed by costs, stayed wait-and-see. With restocking limited to small and “rigid demand” orders, the market is now in a sensitive phase of profit rebalancing and sentiment repricing. Here is the latest Chinatungsten Online snapshot and what it means for carbide tool procurement.
The tungsten market continued its downward drift on Monday. Chinatungsten Online said holders, encouraged by accumulated gains, maintained steady selling willingness, while buyers — facing cost pressure and a wait-and-see stance — became noticeably more cautious. Large-scale restocking remains limited in the near term, so most transactions are small orders and “rigid demand”.
Market in a sensitive phase: profit rebalancing and sentiment repricing
In the current environment, the tungsten complex is effectively repricing risk: sellers are comfortable offering into strength created by the earlier rally, while buyers are trying to avoid committing at levels that could fall further. This creates a buyer-leaning market structure even when supply fundamentals do not change overnight.
Outlook debate: rational correction vs. confidence shock
Industry views are increasingly split. One camp sees this as a rational correction after the previous rapid rise; backed by macro policy and tungsten’s strategic value, they believe near-term downside is limited and there is “buy-the-dip” demand — so they are reluctant to sell too low. The other camp worries that continued weakness will erode confidence and liquidity; if demand does not recover meaningfully, panic selling could accelerate the decline.
Most participants remain cautious and trade based on their own cash flow and real needs. The common recommendation is to keep upstream and downstream operations rational and stable, avoid emotional speculation, and wait for clearer market signals.
Price table — April 13, 2026 (Chinatungsten Online)
The following table summarises the latest published price points as of April 13, 2026. “From peak” and year-to-date changes are stated by the source.
| Product | Price | YTD Change |
|---|---|---|
| 65% wolframite concentrate | RMB 920,000/ton | +100.0% YTD |
| 65% scheelite concentrate | RMB 919,000/ton | +100.2% YTD |
| Ammonium paratungstate (APT) | RMB 1,420,000/ton | +111.9% YTD |
| European APT | USD 2,800–3,280 (≈ RMB 1,692,000–1,982,000)/ton (equiv.) | +230.4% YTD |
| Tungsten powder | RMB 2,290/kg | +112.0% YTD |
| Tungsten carbide powder | RMB 2,230/kg | +114.4% YTD |
| Cobalt powder | RMB 580/kg | +11.5% YTD |
| 70% ferrotungsten | RMB 1,330,000/ton | +104.6% YTD |
| European ferrotungsten | USD 310–330/kg W (≈ RMB 1,482,000–1,577,000)/ton (equiv.) | +132.7% YTD |
| Scrap tungsten rods | RMB 940/kg | +56.7% YTD |
| Scrap tungsten drill bits | RMB 910/kg | +56.9% YTD |
Source: Chinatungsten Online · YTD = Year-to-date change from Jan 1, 2026 · WoW = Week-on-week
What this means for solid carbide tool buyers
- In a buyer-leaning market, new orders concentrate on essentials; expect more price negotiations and shorter quote validity windows.
- Downstream carbide pricing may not fall in sync because cost pass-through is delayed; plan with a “lag” between upstream drops and tool price changes.
- If you rely on consistent lead times, avoid last-minute spot buying — schedule replenishment around confirmed production loads.
- Use this phase to standardise specs (diameter, LOC, shank, OAL, coating) so suppliers can quote faster and hold pricing for the batch.
Procurement recommendation
Split your tool list into “must-run” vs. discretionary replenishment and quote the must-run items first. If market uncertainty persists, factory-direct sourcing can help reduce stacked markups and keep communication tight as costs re-anchor.
Our Solid Carbide Tools — Factory Direct from Changzhou
Coolant-thru solid carbide drills for stable deep drilling; multiple depth ratios and diameters with factory-direct quoting.
General-purpose solid carbide drills for steel, stainless, and cast iron — fast delivery for standard sizes.
Factory-ground square end mills for profiling and slotting; coating options for aluminium and hardened steels.
Ball nose carbide end mills for 3D contouring; multiple reach lengths and coating variants.
Corner radius (bull nose) carbide end mills for stronger edges and better finishes in semi-finish and finish milling.
Outlook
With sentiment divided, the next move depends on whether restocking returns beyond rigid demand. Watch APT and powder liquidity, ferrotungsten bidding, and whether scrap sellers capitulate — these are the quickest signals of confidence returning or fading.
We will keep publishing tungsten price snapshots to help machining procurement teams track raw-material cost pressure and plan tooling budgets.
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