The rhenium market went through a significant downward correction in 2009 after a period of strong demand growth and an escalation in prices up to the last quarter of 2008. The credit crisis and associated recession, particularly in North America and Europe, severely affected the major markets for rhenium and demand dropped by 16% in 2009. Primary production of rhenium responded by falling by almost 10%, but this was not enough to stop prices plummeting from a peak of $12,000/kg on a spot basis towards the end of 2008 to around $4-4,500/kg in mid 2009 before bottoming out. In June 2010, rhenium metal prices were $4,500-5,000/kg.
Those economies that were worst affected following the credit crisis are now beginning to recover and the rhenium market is expected to follow suit. Growth in demand for rhenium is forecast to average around 5% per year between 2009 and 2015, driven by a superalloy sector that accounts for almost 80% of rhenium consumption. Expansions in primary production capacity, greater recycling of rhenium-bearing superalloy scrap and increased use of superalloy ‘revert’ will all contribute to future supply.

This latest report from Roskill, Rhenium: Market Outlook to 2015, 8th Edition provides answers to questions such as:

How quickly will the rhenium market recover from the steep downturn in 2009?