Record Helium Volumes and Pricing in Taiwan for Jan'24
- AKAP
- Mar 11, 2024
- 1 min read
After a subdued trading year for helium in Taiwan, the country has significantly increased its imports in Jan’24 to 48mmcf, up 61% m/m, +86% y/y, and +77% compared to the 2023 monthly average. Although over the LTM, imports are still down by 8% y/y. During 2023, Taiwanese imports were down 17% y/y due to weak semiconductor demand; however, the recent AI driven surge in the semiconductor industry may have provided the impetus for increasing imports. This sudden surge could suggest that semiconductor manufacturers are stocking up on helium for the increased demand in the months to come. Small volumes from Russia have also entered Taiwan, as seen in the case of other Asian countries such as China, South Korea, and India. Pricing, too, has surged to a record level of US$622/mcf in Jan’24 (+36% y/y) and a LTM average of US$524/mcf (+22% y/y), which is in line with increasing prices across the globe.