Soda ash prices continued their march upwards as EU-based market participants placed the price at 10 Euros/tonne premium to levels seen in the last quarter. The price increase follows from an increase in energy cost over the last 2 years. The rising price of coke and coal has affected profit margins in several companies in Europe and globally. EU soda ash prices (synthetic, dense & light, large contracts ex-works) increased to a range of 175-195 Euros/tonne, up from 165-185 Euros/tonne. On 2 November, FMC increased soda ash prices in S Africa by $20/tonne. The price hike applies to Grade 260 "dense" soda ash and comes in addition to the $30/tonne increase announced in April 2011. A spokesman for FMC said: "The increase is necessary for FMC to recover increasing costs and continue to invest in its operations as the global demand for soda ash increases."
