China's domestic magnesium price dived in the week to Friday October 29, with the market responding to declining upstream coal prices amid the country's attempts to stabilize prices and supply of the energy feedstock.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for magnesium, 99.9%, exw China, was 35,000-36,000 yuan ($5,466-5,623) per tonne on Friday October 29, a decrease of 11,000 yuan per tonne (23.7%)...Read More
The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard grade,...Read More
China produced 23.83 million tonnes of crude stainless steel in the first nine months of 2021, according to data released by the China Stainless Steel Council (CSSC) at the end of last week.This is 1.89 million tonnes - or 8.6% - higher than an adjusted figure of 21.94 million tonnes a year earlier, it said.China's apparent stainless steel consumption...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices fell on Tuesday November 2 due to weak demand outlook caused by narrowing steel margins and ongoing sintering restrictions, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $95.77 per tonne, down $7.66 per tonne 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $96.67 per tonne, down $7.99 per tonne 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $67....Read More
Flat steel import markets in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were slow during the week ended Tuesday November 2 because of uncertainty over the price direction, sources told Fastmarkets.The uncertainty was because of recent price decreases from China, which controls over 50% of the global steel market.On the other hand, strong local demand in the Indian market prompted buyers to expect p...Read More
Turkish steel scrap import prices fell sharply on Tuesday November 2, in line with the the latest bookings and amid increasing freight costs and limited finished steel sales to Turkey's key export outlets, market participants told Fastmarkets. On Tuesday, a steel mill in the Marmara region booked a deep-sea cargo from Puerto Rico, comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $494 per tonne and shredded scrap at...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices were relatively stable on Tuesday November 2, with no trades heard in the market, although Chinese domestic coke prices in certain provinces started to fall due to rising inventories and reduced costs.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $600.25 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $525.23 per tonne, unchangedPremium hard coking coal...Read More
Replacing Section 232 tariffs on European aluminium products with tariff-rate quotas will result in even more trade distortions and create additional market instability for companies in both Europe and the United States, the head of industry association European Aluminium has said.The United States and the European Union (EU) reached an agreement over the weekend to replace the 10% tariff on...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
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday November 1 that are worth another look....Read More
Mining and metals companies say they're serious about transitioning to a sustainable economy, but whether they can afford to is another matter.Achieving decarbonization throughout the supply chain is going to require a huge amount of investment in technology to reimagine production processes and redesign existing sites.Last week, the International Aluminium Institute estimated that to decarbonize...Read More
The CIS export slab market was quiet in the week to Monday November 1 because most mills were absent from the market.No fresh offers were heard from Russian suppliers in the Black Sea basin, while local sources reported that the country is on lockdown until November 7, reducing trading activity.In the Far East...Read More
Spot prices for hot-rolled coil in China continued to fall on Monday November 1, with market sentiment subdued by continued declines in coal futures prices and weak economic data.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,230-5,300 yuan ($817-828) per tonne, down by 40-100 yuan per tonneSpot HRC prices in the domestic market slipped to their lowest since May 26 on Monday, while the most-traded HRC contra...Read More
Mining and metals companies say they're serious about transitioning to a sustainable economy, but whether they can afford to is another matter.Achieving decarbonization throughout the supply chain is going to require a huge amount of investment in technology to reimagine production processes and redesign existing sites.Last week, the International Aluminium Institute estimated that to decarbonize...Read More
Spot prices for hot-rolled coil in China continued to fall on Monday November 1, with market sentiment subdued by continued declines in coal futures prices and weak economic data.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,230-5,300 yuan ($817-828) per tonne, down by 40-100 yuan per tonneSpot HRC prices in the domestic market slipped to their lowest since May 26 on Monday, while the most-traded HRC contra...Read More
EN+ group IPJSC and SUAL Partners Limited, the two largest shareholders of aluminium producer UC Rusal, announced their joint support for de-mergering Rusal's high-carbon businesses.Rusal announced in May it intended to pursue a demerger of its higher-carbon assets via the creation of two different businesses with separate strategies.The announcement said the demerger is still awaiting further dec...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil increased across the European Union during the week to Friday October 29, despite limited trading activity in the spot market.European steelmakers have been focused on settling long-term agreements with big buyers, such as the automotive and white goods sectors. As a result, they have not been active in the spot market.At the end of last week, ArcelorMittal anno...Read More
Most flat steel prices continued to increase in Turkey during the week ending Monday November 1, but future price moves remain uncertain because of decreasing prices in China and weak demand in the Turkish local market, sources told Fastmarkets.Hot-rolled coil prices in China have been decreasing, which may affect global prices.Local demand for flat steel was also weak because most buyers placed t...Read More
Mining and metals companies say they're serious about transitioning to a sustainable economy, but whether they can afford to is another matter.Achieving decarbonization throughout the supply chain is going to require a huge amount of investment in technology to reimagine production processes and redesign existing sites.Last week, the International Aluminium Institute estimated that to decarbonize...Read More
The Commonwealth of Independent States' export prices for hot-rolled coil increased during the week ended Monday November 1, but market activity was weak, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $870-880 per tonne on November 1, rising from $850-870 per tonne on October 25.Offers from Ukraine to Turkey were at $900-910...Read More