Flat steel sales from Brazilian distributors increased by 39% year-on-year in September 2020, amid a scarcity of steel in the local market and a lack of competition from imported material.Flat steel sales reached 403,100 tonnes in the month, up from 290,000 tonnes in September 2019. Volumes were also up by 7.80% from the 373,800 tonnes shipped in August, according to figures released by national f...Read More
Turkish steel mills continued their silence in the deep-sea scrap market for a third day this week, with participants now split on the direction prices will take, sources said on Wednesday October 21.After a third day without any new bookings, sources began to speculate on the direction prices might go.Some told Fastmarkets they were expecting prices to move up, despite the mil...Read More
Iron ore futures gained again on Wednesday October 21, following an uptrend in steel futures amid a drop in steel inventories, with the seaborne market remaining stable on limited trading activity, sources said. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $120.49 per tonne, up $0.88 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $120.64 per tonne, up $0.59 per tonne58% Fe fi...Read More
The premium hard coking coal price fob Australia dipped on Wednesday October 21 due to a lack of demand for material from the country, according to market participants. Fastmarkets indices Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $113.74 per tonne, down $0.24 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $126.78 per tonne, unchanged Hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $105.02 per tonne, unchanged Hard coki...Read More
China has approved a 13th batch of ferrous scrap for import this year, involving 1,340 tonnes, the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection's Solid Waste & Chemical Management Center said on Monday October 19.This takes the total of approved scrap imports so far this year to...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil exporters raised their prices on Wednesday October 21 amid domestic gains and a strengthening dollar.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,890-3,910 yuan ($582-585) per tonne, up 10 yuan per tonneSeveral Shanghai-based traders said they managed to secure more orders during the day than on Tuesday amid rising prices, with rising futures improving sentiment.One of them said tha...Read More
London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices were trading up on the previous day's close during the morning session on Wednesday October 21, boosted by hopes of an imminent US fiscal stimulus package and increased government-sanctioned Chinese infrastructure spending.Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate remain in a stalemate over a financial bailout plan in the lead-up to the preside...Read More
Half of the base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange have in recent days risen to multi-month highs, with copper reaching levels not seen since June 2018, and all of the metals are pushing higher this morning, Wednesday October 21. Some strike action in copper in Chile has added fuel to copper's rally High expectations for a further stimulus ahead of the US presidential election has boosted...Read More
An overview of the consumers electronics markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday October 21.Key drivers The ferro-titanium spot price range moved up by 10 cents per kg over the week, with persistent tightness in scrap supply from a slump in the aerospace sector propelling prices upward. Market participants expect the alloy market rally to extend into November and potentially further while steelmakers look to sec...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.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 transparency into the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies. Fastmarkets...Read More
The cobalt alloy 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 transparency into the markets it covers and the pricing process...Read More
The cobalt sulfate 20.5% Co basis, exw China, yuan/tonne 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...Read More
Turkish steelmaker Colakoglu Metallurgy, until now a producer of rebar and hot-rolled coil, has started to produce special-grade hot-rolled flat stainless steel at its facility in Kocaeli, chief executive officer Ugur Dalbeler told Fastmarkets this week.The company produced grades 304 and 304L material at its mill last week, the first time these products have been produced in Turkey, Dalbeler said...Read More
A summary of South32's production results for its manganese ore and alloy business in the financial year ended September 30, 2020, as stated in its quarterly report released on Monday October 19. In brief: Total manganese ore grew by 3% year on year and 19% quarter on quarter. The company attributed a 3% quarterly increase in Australian manganese ore production to favorable ore grades...Read More
The arrival of lower-priced cargoes and weakening downstream demand weighed on the market for UG2 chrome ore in China in the week ended Tuesday October 20, although liquidity was light.Fastmarkets' chrome ore South Africa UG2 concentrates index, basis 42%, cif China, fell by $4 per tonne (-2.9%) to $135 per tonne on Tuesday, from $139 per tonne a week earlier."More people are looking to sell than...Read More
Trafigura is preparing to table an offer for Brazilian miner Vale's embattled nickel and cobalt operations (VNC) in the French territory of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 20.Fastmarkets understands that the Geneva, Switzerland-headquartered trading house is part of a consortium with four French companies.A source said that current negotiations...Read More
The US nickel briquette premium continued to ascend in the week to Tuesday October 20 amid increased spot business at higher levels while lackluster appetites kept all other regional premiums stable over the period. Spot deals for US briquettes enlivened at higher levels, pushing the premium up from historic lows hit in September. Sustained lack of arbitrage opportunities in China kept premiu...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were weaker this morning, Thursday October 22, this after a day of general strength on Wednesday that saw copper prices climb, intraday, back above $7,000 per tonne.* Concerns that an additional stimulus package in the United States may struggle to get agreed before the presidential election has weighed on sentiment.* Forecasts from the International...Read More