Steady aftermarket to lend support; stable lead prices to help! Consumable providers such as battery makers, including EIL, realise ~5060% demand from the replacement market. Strong OEM sales in FY16-19 and short replacement cycles are, thus, expected to stand these companies in good stead during the ongoing slowdown in fresh vehicle sales. Margins at battery manufacturers have a close correlation with pricing and outlook for key raw material, viz. lead, with the impact felt with a quarterly lag. Batteries being a largely commoditised product, companies including Exide then pass on the pricing variation to end consumers. Lead prices rose ~7%...