The Silicon Industry Association released its weekly monocrystalline silicon wafer assessment on September 3, indicating that the market is currently experiencing a period of softening demand alongside a looser supply environment, which has collectively driven wafer prices downward.

On the demand side, the latest round of overseas stocking orders is nearing its conclusion, leading to a marked cooling in export demand. Meanwhile, domestic terminal purchasing sentiment remains sluggish, further contributing to the overall weak demand picture. On the supply side, wafer manufacturers are maintaining normal operating loads, resulting in a relatively ample supply situation.

This supply-demand imbalance has led to an accumulation of wafer inventories. In an effort to recover capital, some producers have opted to lower prices to facilitate shipments, triggering the recent decline in wafer prices. Industry surveys indicate that the overall operating rate across the sector remained flat week-on-week, with no significant changes. Specifically, two leading companies are running at 52% and 54% capacity, integrated manufacturers are operating in the 56%-60% range, and other producers are between 50% and 78%.

According to data from Antaike, wafer prices remained under pressure this week. The average transaction price for N-type G10L monocrystalline wafers (182*183.75mm/130μm) fell to 1.01 yuan per piece, down 9.82% week-on-week. N-type G12R wafers (182*210mm/130μm) averaged 1.03 yuan per piece, a decrease of 9.65%, while N-type G12 wafers (210*210mm/130μm) averaged 1.15 yuan per piece, down 5.74% from the previous week.

Further research shows that downstream solar cell prices continued their decline this week, while module prices remained stable. The mainstream battery cell price now stands at 0.29-0.31 yuan per watt, a week-on-week drop of 9.09%, whereas module prices held steady at 0.69-0.71 yuan per watt.

Looking ahead, given the prevailing oversupply conditions, wafer inventories are expected to accumulate slightly in the near term, keeping the overall market under sustained pressure. Market participants should closely monitor changes in polysilicon prices and the pace of downstream purchasing and restocking. Should silicon material prices fail to hold at current levels, the wafer market is likely to experience a weak and volatile trend in the coming period.