Domestic stainless steel prices in China dropped sharply over the week ended Wednesday November 3, causing exporters in the country to lower their offers as well. DomesticStainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic (Wuxi): 19,800-20,200 ($3,094-3,156) per tonne, down by 800-900 yuan per tonne from a week earlier Sentiment in the stainless steel futures market remained bearish over the...Read More
Spot copper premiums rose in Europe during the past week, while trading interest was minimal in Shanghai and the United States, with the red metal's backwardation remaining a concern.London Metal Exchange copper's cash to three-month spread was in a $275-per-tonne backwardation on Wednesday, easing from $438 per tonne on Tuesday LME on-warrant copper stocks remain below 40,000 tonnes, while C...Read More
Steel scrap buyers in Taiwan were bearish about the containerized scrap market, expecting to book cargoes at lower prices in the short term, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 3. Taiwan secures lower-priced cargoesVietnam reports lower offersChina prices continue downtrend amid bearish sentiment in local marketTaiwanTaiwanese buyers have secured containerized heavy melting scrap...Read More
The prevailing backwardation of London Metal Exchange tin prices continued to encourage lower offer prices in Europe and the United States, with premiums falling stateside on November 2, while premiums in Taiwan were steady despite the ongoing destocking of LME inventories. In-warehouse premiums in Rotterdam and Baltimore drop slightly amid more supply and lower offersLME stocks at 645 tonnes...Read More
The price of steel hollow sections in Europe moved down on Wednesday November 3, with the market seeking the floor after recent price drops, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium) domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,150- 1,250 ($1,333-1,449) per tonne on Wednesday, down from ?,?1,230-1,275 per tonne one week previous.Market sources hav...Read More
Steel scrap buyers in Taiwan were bearish about the containerized scrap market, expecting to book cargoes at lower prices in the short term, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 3. Taiwan secures lower-priced cargoesVietnam reports lower offersChina prices continue downtrend amid bearish sentiment in local marketTaiwanTaiwanese buyers have secured containerized heavy melting scrap...Read More
A summary of Peru-based metals producer Volcan's production figures and financial results for the third quarter of 2021, as stated in its earnings report published on Tuesday November 2.In brief Volcan's zinc and lead output growth in the quarter was spearheaded by higher mined and treated ore at the Yauli mine, in the Peruvian central Jun?-n region, although this was partially offset by a decreas...Read More
A summary of Peru-based metals producer Volcan's production figures and financial results for the third quarter of 2021, as stated in its earnings report published on Tuesday November 2.In brief Volcan's zinc and lead output growth in the quarter was spearheaded by higher mined and treated ore at the Yauli mine, in the Peruvian central Jun?-n region, although this was partially offset by a decreas...Read More
Iron ore prices went up on Wednesday November 3 with support from the demand in low-grade fines, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $100.10 per tonne, up by $4.33 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $101.70 per tonne, up by $5.03 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $76.15 per tonne, up by $8.45 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin...Read More
Most base metals on the London Metal Exchange traded higher during Wednesday's morning session, bouncing back above the previous day's closing prices aided by well-supported coal prices in Asia.Three-month aluminium traded at $2,733.50 per tonne on Wednesday morning, compared with its close on Tuesday of $2,692 per tonne. Market analysts said well-supported coal prices helped push the light metal...Read More
Zinc's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday November 3 touched its lowest since October 13, with prices in the base metals complex ending the day on a mixed note ahead of the US Federal Reserve Bank's Federal Open Market Committee press conference.Zinc reached $3,263 per tonne on Wednesday, its lowest price since announcements by Nyrstar and Glencore that production in Europ...Read More
Operations at Antamina, Peru's biggest copper mine, have been suspended since last weekend because of a roadblock manned by community protestors, according to a company statement.The statement by Compania Minera Antamina, published on Sunday October 31, stressed its commitment to public safety and clear communication. It said that it feared the possibility of "intolerable criminal offenses" and "c...Read More
The north China steel production hub of Handan city in Hebei province has implemented stricter production cuts at steel mills from Monday November 1 to November 7.The move has been made is to mitigate weather-influenced air pollution over the period and comes just after the city finished implmenting steel production curbs in September and October to limit the crude steel output in line with China'...Read More
Rebar and billet prices decreased slightly in the United Arab Emirates because some mills discounted their prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday November 2.Demand for rebar has improved week on week because prices have now been announced, sources added.Domestic rebarLocal rebar mills announced new prices on October 24.Emirates Steel has been offering rebar at 2,490 dirhams ($678) per tonne e...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange fell marginally across the board at the close of trading on Tuesday November 2, with macroeconomic forces driving the price movements.The market was awaiting results of the United States Federal Market Open Committee meeting on November 3. The three-month copper price fell by 0.6% to $9,495.50 per tonne, from $9,555 per tonne at Monday's close. Volu...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday November 2 that are worth another look.Eurofer has welcomed the agreement between the European Union and the United States to replace Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs against the bloc's 27 countries with tariff-rate quotas, the European steel association...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 5 points in pre-opening trade. Investors are waiting for news at 2:00 PM EDT from the Federal Reserve on interest rates and tapering of its bond purchases.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of the October ADP Employment Report at 8:15 AM EDT. Consensus was a gain of 395,000 versus an increase of...Read More
Continued declines in the Chinese steel billet market have caused many Southeast Asian buyers to shy away from importing the semi-finished product this week, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday November 2.Chinese billet import prices continued to crash on Monday and Tuesday, led by weakening ferrous futures markets across the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE), together with growing volumes of iron...Read More
Russian steel mills have received a glut of orders for November deliveries of flat steel products, with active buying interest among stockists pushing up prices for hot-rolled steel in the country's Central Federal District around Moscow in the week to Monday November 1, sources have told Fastmarkets.The approaching expiry of the temporary export duty of $115 per tonne on hot-rolled (HR) sheet and...Read More
An overview of the chrome ore and alloy markets and their latest price moves in Asia, Europe and the United States on Tuesday November 2.China Alloy market sentiment strengthened after steel mill Tsingshan increased its November ferro-chrome tender prices by 500 yuan ($78) per tonne month on month. Prices of imported charge chrome rose, with some stainless steel mills needing to secure near-t...Read More