Commodity: tin

Tin is a silvery-white metal that is soft, malleable and has ductile properties. It is mainly derived from the mineral cassiterite, which contains about 80% tin. The tin market is segmented by product type, application, end-user industry, and geography. By product type, the market is segmented into metals, alloys and compounds. By application, the market is segmented into soldering, tin plating, chemical and other applications (special alloys, lead-acid batteries). Based on end-user industry, the market is segmented into automotive, electronics, packaging, glass and other end-user industries. The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for tin. The tin market is strongly consolidated, with the top 10 manufacturers accounting for more than 60% of the global market. Some of the major players in the market (in no particular order) include Yunnan Tin Company Limited, PT TIMAH Tbk, Malaysia Smelting Corporation Berhad, Yunnan Chengfeng Nonferrous Metals Co. Ltd. and MINSUR.

Following the decline in other base metals as markets reevaluated the effect that Chinese government infrastructure projects would have on industrial demand, tin futures slipped to the $34,000 per tonne mark from the almost three-month high of $35,100 set on July 23rd. Following Beijing's announcement that it would construct a CNY 1.2 trillion dam, which raised expectations of stimulus through construction, industrial inputs partially retreated their recent strong increases. On the supply side, Wa State in Myanmar indicated that it might be willing to reissue tin mining quotas after a protracted mining activity halt, although major mine projects in the area have not yet resumed. Expectations of eventual resumptions were further pushed back as an unusually early rainy season, aging mine infrastructure, and Thailand's transportation ban that prevents the sourcing of key inputs.

The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for tin. China is one of the largest tin producers and consumers in the world. The tin market size is estimated to be more than 387 kilotons in 2021 and this market is forecast to reach a CAGR of over 2.5% during the forecast period (2022-2027). The market is negatively affected by COVID-19 in 2020. Tin dealers have been experiencing one of the heaviest pressures on the metal market as COVID-19 fuels a surge in demand due to supply destruction. In the first half of 2021, demand for tin used in electronics exceeded supply, causing prices on the London Metal Exchange to increase by more than 90%. However, the market is expected to grow steadily during the forecast period (2022-2027).