The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Numerous ore and alloy markets enjoyed upward pricing momentum in the first half 2020, with supply-side constraints supporting prices despite collapsing demand from steelmakers and other key end users. While supply side issues related to Covid-19 lockdowns have been resolved,...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Iron ore remains the most bullish commodity of the year, with prices fuelled by Chinese demand and supply disruptions in Brazil, along with bullish sentiment. But prices are expected to come down because Brazilian exports have begun to recover, and have reached their highest level since the Brumadinho dam disaster in 2019. W...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.In the iron ore market, supply issues including heavy rains at the start of the year, followed by staffing problems during the Covid-19 pandemic, have affected exports from Brazil. This has helped Australia gain a larger market share, but since June, Brazilian export volumes have returned to levels last seen before the...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Chinese blast furnace (BF) utilization rates have stagnated and iron ore port stock volumes are rising, reaching their highest levels since March, which suggests that iron ore supply is becoming excessive while demand is not growing. Unsurprisingly, prices dropped last week and we expect the trend to continue. The market has...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.We do not consider the average iron ore fines price for September so far above $125 per tonne cfr Qingdao to be sustainable. The bullishness is not likely to last in the long term as we expect Chinese demand growth to slow down. A key factor boosting Chinese steel demand so far has been the stimulus policies from the authori...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Having found it easier to increase prices than their counterparts in Europe and the United States during the past few months, Asian stainless steelmakers now face a number of concerns.In the short term, Asian prices have moved down in recent weeks while those in Europe and the US are on the up. This is mostly a reflection of...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view. A look at stainless steel price movements through August reveals the ongoing battle being faced by stainless steelmakers in Europe and the United States while they try to pass on rising costs to consumers. In these regions, prices on most grades of stainless steel are little changed from July, rising by around 2% at most -...Read More
The latest forecast from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.As we enter the summer season across the northern hemisphere, almost half a year has passed since the Covid-19 pandemic began to seriously affect Europe and the United States.One would not really be able to tell that such a dramatic event had occurred by looking at stainless steel prices, however, because they are more or less...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices are relatively stable this month, showing little change since our previous tracker. Such stability masks growing issues for stainless steelmakers, however, who are increasingly unable to pass on rising costs to consumers and are, thus, facing cuts to their margins.In general, this is due to an excess of...Read More
Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were mixed this morning, Monday November 2, with the short-term outlook uncertain with much of Europe moving into tighter lockdowns, while China's new five-year plans look supportive, as does the economic data out of China and Japan this morning. Japan and China report stronger manufacturing purchasing managers inde...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 39 points in pre-opening trade.Clorox advanced $5.75 to $213.00 after reporting higher than consensus fiscal first quarter earnings. Dunkin Donuts gained $6.13 to $105.84 after Inspire Brands offered to acquire the company for $106.50 per share. This cash offer is valued at $8.8 billion.Este Lauder added $6.50 to $226....Read More
The European Commission has set safeguard quota volumes for steel products imported from the United Kingdom starting from January 1, 2021. The EC announced the quotas on Friday October 30. These will apply to several steel products, including hot-rolled, cold-rolled and hot-dipped galvanizing coil originating from the UK. Any volumes sold exceeding the quotas will be subject to 25% duty. "Pur...Read More
A summary of Glencore's 2020 third-quarter production report for the coal sector, released on Friday October 30, where the company maintained its 2020 full-year production guidance except coal, which was adjusted for the extended strike at the Cerrejon mine.In brief The company's year-to-date (YTD) coal production of 83.5 million tonnes was 20.5 million tonnes or 20% lower than the comparable prio...Read More
The fifth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has concluded with the release of the 14th Five-Year Plan, which will chart China's development path in 2021-2025. More details of the country's Five-Year Plan are expected to be released from Friday October 30 onward. The session listed 12 key steps with which China would achieve a set of long-term goals by 20...Read More
The three-month prices of all base metals on the London Metal Exchange had fallen by the close of trading on Friday October 30, with aluminium being the only exception.Leading the pack, the three-month nickel price lost 2.6% to close at $15,150 per tonne after seeing turnover of a little more than 10,475 lots.The LME three-month copper price lost 0.5% to close at $6,707.50...Read More
An overview of the new energy raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Susan Zou and Sally Zhang in...Read More
The London Metal Exchange will finalize the last stage in the relaxation of its queue-based rent capping (QBRC) rule on Sunday November 1, when the rule moves to 80 days full rent.The threshold has been extended under a phased implementation over the past nine months. It began on February 1, 2020, when the rule moved to 50 days full rent, from the original rule of 30 days full rent and 20 days hal...Read More
An overview of the new energy raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Susan Zou and Sally Zhang in...Read More
Ray Mennin has joined United States-based commodities trading company and agent Toroza as vice president, Fastmarkets learned.Mennin previously worked as an assistant portfolio manager...Read More
Spot copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) dipped marginally while the market began annual contract negotiations at a price level where the benchmark may settle, Fastmarkets heard.Smelters are still actively buying clean tonnes at and just below $50 per tonne/5 cents per lb, with a premium on certain qualities of material rather than just the percentage copper grade, sources s...Read More