After a string of bearish updates throughout 2012 Henning Wicht, principal analyst, photovoltaics, for IHS i-Suppli Deutschland, said a reduction in the percentage of deals done on the global poly spot market is indicative of supply falling more closely in line with demand.
Respondents to the market research company's monthly polysilicon price tracker are predicting a slight rise in prices towards the end of March although, typically, there is a caveat.
"We have seen the proportion of spot market trades in the transactions we survey fall from around half in April and May to 20% at the moment," explained Wicht.
"This is because suppliers have reduced production but it is too early to say we have hit the bottom, that will depend on how the market reacts if there is a slight rise in prices.
"If bigger suppliers increase production in response to any increase at the end of Q1, in order to aggressively pursue market share, we could see the whole cycle recur."
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