Prices in Southeast Asia's steel billet market declined during the week to Friday February 21 because of low-priced Japanese billet transactions and competitive offers for Chinese billet.But market sentiment turned positive towards the end of the week, with sources saying that prices are likely to have bottomed out for now.Fastmarkets' daily price assessment for steel billet, import, cfr Southeast...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices rose on Friday February 21 amid strengthening futures and higher demand, which left some with the impression that the market had bottomed out.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,420-3,450 yuan ($487-491) per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonne Northern China (Beijing): 3,350-3,380 yuan per tonne, up 20-30 yuan per tonne DomesticMore end users have started working, though so far they...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday February 21.ChinaThe price of UG2 chrome ore dropped amid bids from alloy smelters as low as $130 per tonne after China's major stainless steel mills kept their February tender prices flat month-on-month.The market had expected a rise and the rollover knocked sentiment.Spot Chinese ferro-chrome pric...Read More
The price of stainless steel in the European domestic market was unchanged in the week to Friday February 21, but decreases are expected for March due to weaker nickel values, sources told Fastmarkets.Finland-based stainless steel producer Outokumpu announced on Friday that its monthly alloy surcharge for grade-304 flat products in March will decrease by ?,?79 per tonne from February, to...Read More
Dexin Steel Indonesia will fire up its first blast furnace on Friday February 21, an industry source told Fastmarkets.Owned by China's Delong Holdings, the mill in Central Sulawesi province's Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park, will have a total production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes per...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday February 21.China The Chinese ferro-silicon spot price remained as high as in the previous week with major alloy producers holding their offer prices at 6,800 yuan ($966) per tonne. Cross-provincial transport has slightly improved in the past week. Market participants expected a downtrend in the spo...Read More
An overview of the noble alloys markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons behind the latest price moves.Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More
Logistics disruptions across China have paralysed many of the country's supply chains since the outbreak of a novel coronavirus infection forced authorities to clamp down on movements of material and people within the country.What has become increasingly evident is that different areas have seen their abilities to operate and to move cargoes affected to varying degrees, and that some mining, metal...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange was lower at the close of trading on Friday February 21, closing at its lowest level since June 2019 against thin turnover, while lead futures failed to hold onto gains made earlier in the day.Nickel's outright price on the LME closed at $12,530 per tonne in the afternoon, ending a weekly price decline that saw it sink from a high of $13,21...Read More
This year's annual benchmark treatment charges (TCs) for zinc and lead concentrates are expected to rise due to high supply and the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China and beyond affecting the raw materials market.Market participants gathered at the 2020 International Zinc & Zinc Oxide Conferences in Scottsdale, Arizona, in the United States, this past week for the annual contract benc...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were rangebound on Friday February 21 with market participants retreating to the sidelines, though trading activity at Chinese ports remained robust.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $92.25 per tonne, up $0.24 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.58 per tonne, up $0.24 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $93.16 per tonne,...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ended Friday February 21.China The seaborne price of low-grade manganese ore was static, with buyers resisting attempts by some producers to raise offer prices, amid high inventories and weak demand. The seaborne price of high-grade manganese ore rose after some deals were concluded at higher offer levels, with l...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday February 21.ChinaThe price of UG2 chrome ore dropped amid bids from alloy smelters as low as $130 per tonne after China's major stainless steel mills kept their February tender prices flat month-on-month.The market had expected a rise and the rollover knocked sentiment.Spot Chinese ferro-chrome pric...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange was lower at the close of trading on Friday February 21, closing at its lowest level since June 2019 against thin turnover, while lead futures failed to hold onto gains made earlier in the day.Nickel's outright price on the LME closed at $12,530 per tonne in the afternoon, ending a weekly price decline that saw it sink from a high of $13,21...Read More
Vale reported a net loss of $1.56 billion in the fourth quarter of 2019, compared with a net profit of $3.79 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier, due to impairment charges and provision expenses.Vale's results in the fourth quarter were affected by a $4.20 billion impairment charge relating to a revision of its New Caledonia nickel business and a revaluation of expectations of its c...Read More
The price of stainless steel in the European domestic market was unchanged in the week to Friday February 21, but decreases are expected for March due to weaker nickel values, sources told Fastmarkets.Finland-based stainless steel producer Outokumpu announced on Friday that its monthly alloy surcharge for grade-304 flat products in March will decrease by ?,?79 per tonne from February, to...Read More
Fastmarkets' copper concentrates treatment and refining charges (TC/RC) index remains at its highest level since March 2019 this week, with Chinese smelters more active on taking tonnages as production slowly comes back with logistics resumption.A weekly brief on the Fastmarkets' copper concentrate index:At $65.80 per tonne/6.58 cents per lb, the index is now at its highest level since late March...Read More
Logistics disruptions across China have paralysed many of the country's supply chains since the outbreak of a novel coronavirus infection forced authorities to clamp down on movements of material and people within the country.What has become increasingly evident is that different areas have seen their abilities to operate and to move cargoes affected to varying degrees, and that some mining, metal...Read More