Service Center Metals (SCM) will invest $101.7 million on the largest expansion in its almost 20-year history, the Richmond, Virginia-based aluminium extrusion maker said on Tuesday September 14.The state of Virginia additionally will contribute $1.25 million in grants for SCM's expansion in Prince George County, a company spokesperson confirmed to Fastmarkets.The company will construct an alumini...Read More
Chilean state-owned copper producer Codelco has signed a labor agreement to last until 2024 with the No6 Benito Tapia Tapia trade union, which represents workers at its Salvador division, the company said on Wednesday September 15.The new agreement will be valid for 36 months. According to Codelco, 61% of the union's members voted in favor of taking no wage rise but having a settlement bonus of 4,...Read More
Increasing steel production rates in Japan are making Japanese yards increasingly reluctant to offer cargoes to China, market sources told Fastmarkets this week. Better margins to be found in Japan's domestic marketTaiwan continues to chase containerized cargoesContainer scrap offers to Bangladesh fall amid sluggish demandChinaA slowdown in downstream demand has continued to weight on spot demand...Read More
The largest steelmakers in Bangladesh were largely out of the market for containers of steel scrap on Thursday September 16 following recent deep-sea cargo bookings, market participants have told Fastmarkets.In deals done last week, two deep-sea cargoes were booked to a mill in Bangladesh from the United States West Coast at $530 per tonne cfr for shredded, while a second mill booked deep-sea mate...Read More
Steel billet prices in Turkey have gone down over the past week amid soft demand, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday September 16.The suppliers in the Commonwealth of Independent States have reduced their billet offers to Turkish customers to $620-625 per tonne cfr.But Turkish buyers were bidding only $600-605 per tonne cfr, because domestic material was available at $620 per tonne e...Read More
Steel rebar and billet buyers in Egypt are waiting for prices to fall further before placing orders, sources told Fastmarkets.Global billet and rebar prices have recently been weakening; buyers in Egypt are waiting for prices to flatten before placing orders.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet import, cfr main port Turkey was $610-620 per tonne on September 16, falling from $620-...Read More
There was a divergence in London Metal Exchange prices in the morning of September 16, with lead being the only metal to register gains, while copper, aluminum and nickel all fell - with the latter down by almost $1,000. Lead's three-month price, after a few days of persistent selling, was up by a slight $7 to $2,242 per tonne on Thursday at 9am. On Wednesday, the metal touched $2,213 per tonne, i...Read More
London Metal Exchange base-metals prices were mostly lower at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday September 16, with a rise in the US dollar and the intended release of more metal from China's reserves weighing on the complex.The US Dollar Index reached its highest on Thursday since August 27, with an intraday high of 92.97. The index was well bid, with investors expecting a hawkish view from the...Read More
The European Commission (EC) has extended definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of stainless steel cold-rolled (SSCR) flat products from China and Taiwan.The decision, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Thursday September 16, followed an expiry review lodged by the European steel association Eurofer in May. The extended duties will now remain in place until 30...Read More
Brazilian aluminium producer Companhia Brasileira de Alum?-nio (CBA) has decided to join a federal government initiative to reduce power demand in the country, the company said on Thursday September 16.Adhering to this program will not affect production, however, CBA said. It will adjust consumption hours during the day to a schedule yet to be defined by the country's national electric system oper...Read More
Domestic prices for steel wire rod in Italy have widened downward over the past seven days amid sluggish buying, a decline in scrap prices and the availability of cheap imports, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday September 15.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh quality), domestic, delivered southern Europe, was ?,?800-845 ($945-998) per tonne on Wednesday, widening downward b...Read More
Global trade flows of cobalt metal have been frozen by logistics disruptions including high freight costs and a shortage of available containers, market participants have told Fastmarkets.Cobalt metal is a highly liquid commodity, with traders moving metals on their books around the globe depending on price differentials between Asia and Europe.But in the past 2-3 months, such trade flows have bee...Read More
Trading activity remained slow in the European hot-rolled coil market on Thursday September 16 because buyers held back from deals while they wait for a clearer price trend, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers are waiting for the new quota period, which will start on October 1. Market sources said that large volumes of steel products are sitting in European Union ports awaiting customs clearance at th...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 16 that are worth another look....Read More
Domestic prices for steel wire rod in Italy have widened downward over the past seven days amid sluggish buying, a decline in scrap prices and the availability of cheap imports, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday September 15.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh quality), domestic, delivered southern Europe, was ?,?800-845 ($945-998) per tonne on Wednesday, widening downward b...Read More
Base metals prices on the LME and SHFE were mixed on the morning of Friday September 17, with most remaining listless despite being buffeted by a firmer US dollar, generally weaker economic data and disruption to both production and supply.Broader markets were quiet but firmer heading into the weekend and China's Mid-Autumn Festival holiday takes place on Monday and Tuesday.Base metalsThree-month...Read More
China's domestic spot market for high-carbon ferro-chrome went up in the week to Tuesday September 14, reflecting tight availability and an expectation of good consumer demand.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for ferro-chrome, spot, 6-8% C, basis 50% Cr, ddp China, rose by 100-200 yuan per tonne to 10,000-10,300 yuan ($1,553-1,599) per tonne on Tuesday, from 9,800-10,200 yuan per tonne previou...Read More
London Metal Exchange prices bounced back on September 15, with lead the only metal under selling pressure. Aluminium had an intraday high of $2,924 per tonne. This is its highest price since it touched $3,000 per tonne on Monday prior to the sell-off on Monday afternoon. Its closing price was lower, at $2,893 per tonne, but still 2.2% higher than Tuesday's closing price. Similarly, nickel's...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday September 15.Please click...Read More
Producers continued to raise their offer prices for low-carbon ferro-chrome during the week to Tuesday September 14 amid tight supply, high costs and uncertain logistics.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome 0.10% C, average 65-70% Cr, delivered Europe was $2.78-3.10 per lb Cr on Tuesday, an increase of 5 cents, or 1.7%, from $2.73-$3.05 per lb Cr one week earlier."Several of the producer...Read More