Not only the lower recovered paper grades, but also some medium grades have been suffering from the recent downward trend in prices. Sorted graphic paper for deinking prices have been falling for several months now.
The price of sorted paper for deinking (1.11) in France suffered a renewed drop in December. Prices for this grade have been on a downward slide since the summer.
Market players attributed the drop to good availability as well as buyers' high stock levels. Capacity cuts in Europe, among them the closure of newsprint capacities in Madrid, Schwedt and soon in Utzenstorf, reduced the circle of consumers and freed up additional volumes of recovered paper, several merchants explained.
Moreover, the fact that mixed paper is not exported to China anymore is playing a role. A high supply of mixed paper usually increases the volume of sorted graphic paper for deinking.
