Prices.(MARKETS)

* Yuzhny ammonia prices revive

* Urea spot prices also on upward path

* Phosphates markets remain seasonally quiet

* Arab Gulf sulphur market remains weak

* Indian potash buyers secure unchanged prices

Ammonia prices ex-Yuzhny edged higher in the second week of August to $212/t f.o.b. for September shipment, a gain of $2/t on the previous week. While import interest from the United States and Europe has been slow, the production shutdowns in Ukraine and Russia helped to support prices by limiting the supplies going into September and October.

Contract ammonia prices into India lost ground, falling to $236-241.50/t cfr, a decrease of $3/t, and netting back to an estimated $200-209/t f.o.b. In July, contract prices peaked at $258/t cfr. While imports into India have gathered pace, a surplus of product in the Middle East has capped any potential price increases. Middle Eastern suppliers lowered prices to counter export threats from their Black Sea competitors.

In the United States, market trade has been flat, as reflected in the Tampa contract settlement oft 275/t cfr for the whole of August. However, if Yuzhny prices continue to rise, Tampa contracts for September are expected to follow suit. In Asia, ammonia buyers were in the driving seat, while demand in Europe was stable. Spot cargoes were limited, but prices were expected to firm in September as buyers returned to the market. Maintenance shutdowns in Algeria and Russia were expected to keep supplies tight going into September and October.

With August essentially sold out, urea traders have had to pay a …