The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:US prices for hot-rolled coil moved in line with our forecasts in August, averaging $1,910 per ton, within 1% accuracy of our forecast of $1,925 per ton. The market has achieved much-needed stability in recent weeks, with prices fluctuating in the range of $1,900-1,94...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Bulk and noble alloys both moved largely in line with our price forecasts globally over the past month, though several markets surprised to the upside, exceeding our forecast gains. Stronger-than-forecast pricing momentum was primarily triggered by supply shortages in numerous...Read More
Ecobat's Stolberg lead smelter will remain shut until spring 2022; regional tightness is pushing more consumers to look for spot units.The German lead plant, which declared force majeure due to floods in July, is still undergoing repair work, a company statement seen by Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 12 said. The smelter is in the process of procuring parts and equipment for the rebuild, the...Read More
The export market for flat steel product from the Commonwealth of Independent States touched the bottom during the week to Monday October 11, sources said, while suppliers' mood has turned bullish.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $800-820 per tonne on Monday, unchanged week on week.Sales of both Ukraine and Russia-origin HRC were report...Read More
The London Metal Exchange has registered the first sustainability disclosures on its new digital credentials register, LMEpassport, it announced on Tuesday October 12.LMEpassport is a platform register that enables a voluntary market-wide sustainable metals labelling program.Metals producers Anglo American Platinum, Antofagasta plc, Boliden, Companhia Brasileira de Alumnio (CBA), Freeport-McMoran,...Read More
Power cuts remained a prominent factor in China through the third quarter of 2021 as the world's second-largest economy grappled with soaring coal prices and its own strict limits on energy consumption - put in place to help the country achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.An increasing number of factories - especially those in energy intensive industries - have suffered from curbs to their power usa...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday October 11 that are worth another look.Global cobalt supply can't keep pace with surging cobalt consumption because its production is tied to copper and nickel mining rather than underlying demand, the chief executive officer of diversified mining company Eurasian Resources Group...Read More
Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange remained robust during morning trading on Tuesday October 12, while power supply concerns in China and the rest of the world persist.China will allow its floating electricity prices to rise further from October 15 to stabilize supply amid a shortage in the country, according to a notice released by the country's National Development & Reform Commissio...Read More
The publication of Fastmarkets' Southeast Asia copper premium was delayed on October 5 because of a reporter error.Fastmarkets' pricing database has since been updated.The MB-CU-0399 - Copper grade A cathode premium, cif Southeast Asia, $/tonne has now been updated.For more information or to provide feedback on the delayed publication of these prices, or if you would like to provide pric...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States remained under $97 per hundredweight ($1,940 per short ton) after market participants said restocking is not widely needed and that pricing may have peaked.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $96.89 per cwt ($1,937.80 per ton) on Tuesday October 12, little-changed from $96.83 per cwt on Monday October 11 but down...Read More
Activity in the European hot-rolled coil market remained subdued on Tuesday October 12, with sentiment still bearish, sources have told Fastmarkets.The majority of European buyers have sufficient stocks to last until the end of the year and have only been purchasing smaller lots to restock particular specifications of coil. Distributors, however, were expected to return to the market for orders in...Read More
The prices of imported steel rebar to the United Arab Emirates increased slightly in the week to Tuesday October 12, while sources expect other prices to increase because of rising energy costs globally, sources told Fastmarkets.Energy costs have been increasing in most markets, with steel mills adding the cost to their prices.Some of the rebar re-rollers in the UAE stopped accepting new orders du...Read More
Export prices for Chinese steel cold-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized coil have moved slightly higher from those seen in late September, while trading liquidity remained quiet.Demand for Chinese CRC and HDG has been poor in the week to Tuesday October 12, with buyers shifting their attention to cheaper resources from other origins and overall demand weak due to Covid-19 pandemic situations ac...Read More
Prices for almost all steel scrap grades continued to drop in Mexico in the week ended Friday October 8, with market participants indicating there was no end in sight for the price reductions.Some buyers have been applying gradual price adjustments on a weekly basis, while others made sharp decreases at the beginning of the month.More price reductions are being planned, with at least one major scr...Read More
Deep-sea scrap import prices in Turkey have continued to increase due to strong demand from Turkish steelmakers, market participants told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 12.Late on Monday October 11, a steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 34,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $463 per tonne and 2,000 tonnes of shredded at $478 per tonne, along with 4,000 tonnes of...Read More
Market participants were bullish on the Japanese scrap markets amid the surge in Japan's October Kanto Tetsugen auction price, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 12. Japan's Kanto Tetsugen auction closes $61 per tonne higher month on monthTaiwan returns from holidayPrices for imported material to China increase amid tight domestic supplyJapanJapan's October Kanto Tetsugen auction conclude...Read More
Coking coal prices in both the cfr China and fob Australia markets held largely steady on Tuesday October 12, mainly due to a lack of buying activity, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $608.95 per tonne, up $0.83 per tonne Hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $558.30 per tonne, down $0.03 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $406.30 p...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were down on Tuesday October 12 amid limited trading at Chinese ports, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $129.00 per tonne, down $6.03 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $130.17 per tonne, down $8.93 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $98.51 per tonne, down $7.08 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin fi...Read More
The United States' October ferrous scrap trade's stressful late start and private deals added confusion to a scenario that was already perplexing after one steel producer made an unexpected debut splash, leap-frogging into the market in late September at flat pricing for prime grades."The market was a mess, but that is due to prices hitting an inflection point and bottoming, which is strange becau...Read More
Turkish steel scrap import prices continued to increase on Monday October 11 after more cargo deals were heard booked by steelmakers, sources told Fastmarkets.Late on Friday October 8, two deep-sea cargoes were heard.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo comprising 20,000 tonnes of heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20), 10,000 tonnes of shredded and 10,000 tonnes of plate and str...Read More