The slowdown of the roll-out of fifth generation technology (5G) is continuing to weigh on the tantalum market with the concentrate price falling to a year-to-date low on Friday September 25. Fastmarkets assessed the price of tantalite, basis 25% min Ta2O5, cif China at $56-57.75 per lb on Friday, down from $57-59 per lb a week earlier and down from its year-to-date high of $65-68 per lb in May. T...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday September 28 that are worth another look....Read More
The spread between copper scrap and refined copper is at its widest since December 2019 due to ample availability after shipping lines stopped handling scrap cargoes bound for China this month. Fastmarkets assessed the copper scrap No2 copper (birch/cliff) imported into China 94-96%, LME/Comex discount, cif China at 34-40 cents per lb on Monday September 28, compared with 32-36 cents per lb a...Read More
Turkish steel mills skipped the first working day of the week, with no deep-sea bookings completed amid signs of a downward correction in the market, sources said on Monday September 28.There were talks of a cargo from the United States being sold to a steel mill in the Iskenderun region at $293 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20), $298 per tonne for shredded and $303 per tonne for bonus.Althou...Read More
Canada-based base metals producer Lundin Mining has halted ore processing operations at its Chapada copper-gold mine in Midwestern Brazil after a power outage damaged mill motors, the company said on Sunday September 27. Interruption of power services to the mine occurred on Sunday. When power was restored, the protection system of Chapada's main electrical substation failed, according to the comp...Read More
Key data from the Friday September 25 pricing session in London.Key driversCobalt hydroxide market steady; distributors anticipating some restocking ahead of or shortly after China's upcoming Golden Week holiday (October 1-8), and are therefore declining to...Read More
The price of nickel sulfate in China edged down slightly in the week to Friday September 25, while the rally in nickel ore continued.Fastmarkets assessed the price of nickel sulfate min 21%, max 22.5%, cobalt 10ppm max, exw China at 27,000-27,800 yuan ($3,956- 4,073) per tonne on Friday, narrowing downward by 200 yuan per tonne from 27,000-28,000 yuan per tonne a week earlier.The Chinese nickel su...Read More
China's imports of cobalt metal hit a historical high in August after importers in the country looked to take advantage of noticeable arbitrage opportunities.A total of 1,130 tonnes of cobalt was delivered to China in August, an increase of 245% from the prior month and 421% higher than the same month of last year, according to Chinese customs data. August's volume is the highest ever in a month.T...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday September 28 that are worth another look....Read More
Domestic prices for steel hot-rolled coil across Europe continued to rise, but at a slower pace, over the week to Friday September 25, driven by reduced supply from domestic mills and a lack of competitive import offers.Fastmarkets calculated the daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?488.02 ($567.46) per tonne on Friday, up by ?,?1.10 per tonne week on week and by...Read More
European buyers of hot-rolled coil have become more cautious about further price increases, while steelmakers continued to push for higher prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday September 28.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?486.79 ($566.03) per tonne on Monday, down by ?,?1.23 per tonne from ?,?488.02 per tonne on September 25.T...Read More
Prices for domestic and imported merchant bar quality (MBQ) steel in the United States rose by $1.50 per hundredweight ($30 per short ton) in response to a round of price increases by domestic mills.Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for steel bar 2 x 2 x 1/4 -inch angle merchant products, fob mill US rose by 4.4% to $35.30 per cwt ($706 per ton) on Friday September 25 from $33.80 per cwt pre...Read More
Domestic steel rebar prices in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow were steady in the week to September 28, supported by seasonally good demand from the construction sector, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia held at 40,000-41,000 roubles ($512-524) per tonne on September 28, inclu...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices gained some upward momentum on Monday September 28 on a strengthening of demand.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,620-3,650 yuan ($530-535) per tonne, up by 10-20 yuan per tonneBuyers raised procurement rates during the day to stock up on materials for consumption during the Golden Week. The October 1-8 break marks China's National Day.A trader in eastern China said...Read More
Turkish steel mills skipped the first working day of the week, with no deep-sea bookings completed amid signs of a downward correction in the market, sources said on Monday September 28.There were talks of a cargo from the United States being sold to a steel mill in the Iskenderun region at $293 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20), $298 per tonne for shredded and $303 per tonne for bonus.Althou...Read More
Cleveland-Cliffs has reached a definitive agreement to buy ArcelorMittal USA and its subsidiaries for around $1.4 billion, which will make it the largest flat-rolled steel producer in the country, the company said on Monday September 28.The deal included the steel making operations of Indiana Harbor, Burns Harbor, Cleveland, Coatesville, Steelton, and Riverdale, as well as finished steel units Col...Read More
ArcelorMittal resumed operations at blast furnace (BF) No1 at its Fos-sur-Mer plant in France last week, the company told Fastmarkets on Monday September 28. The steelmaker stopped BF No1 at Fos-sur-Mer as well as the converter and continuous caster on March 23 due to falling demand caused by Covid-19 lockdown measures across Europe. ArcelorMittal Fos-sur-Mer has two BFs...Read More
The CIS export market for steel billet has turned quiet at the end of September with a growing difference between mills' offers and customers' bids, Fastmarkets has heard.Mills continued to insist on offers within the range of $415-420 per tonne fob Black Sea on Monday September 28, according to market sources. There was reduced availability of material due to maintenance work at some assets, as w...Read More
Portside prices for both low- and high-grade manganese ore in China continued to fall in the week to Friday September 25, after ore traders cut their offer prices further in response to disappointing pre-holiday restocking activity among alloy smelters, market sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' manganese ore port index, base 37% Mn, range 35-39%, fot Tianjin, China, was 34.20 yuan ($5.01) per d...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday September 28 that are worth another look....Read More