The latest analysis from recent activity on the CME Group's cobalt metal futures contract, cash-settled against Fastmarkets' price assessment for cobalt, standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam.Key tradesJuly 22, 2021: 5 tonnes for August 2021 at $25 per lbJuly 23: 5 tonnes for September 2021 at $25.20 per lbJuly 28: 176 tonnes (88 tonnes for August at $25.04 per lb; 88 tonnes for December at $25.40 per...Read More
The Russian government is proposing to abolish or reduce its recently-imposed export taxes on ferro-alloys - with the exception of ferro-silicon - in a surprise decision announced on Tuesday September 7. No firm date was given for the introduction of the planned changes.The Russian government introduced duties on 340 steel and non-ferrous metals outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in June 2...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 11 points in pre-opening trade. The European Central Bank released its interest rate decision and monetary policy statement at 7:45 AM EDT. Consensus was that its overnight lending rate to major banks would remain unchanged. Lululemon jumped $42.65 to an all-time high at $423.50 after reporting higher than consensus s...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 8 that are worth another look.The Ukrainian Intergovernmental Committee for International Trade has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of steel seamless cold-drawn and cold-rolled pipe originating from China.A second lithium trade has been brokered against the CME...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices decreased on Wednesday September 8 after sellers lowered their offers to encourage sales following two days of weak demand.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,300-5,350 yuan ($820-828) per tonne, down by 20 yuan per tonneSellers dropped their offer prices for rebar on Wednesday morning to improves sales volumes, but buyers asked for even lower...Read More
Base metals prices were mixed on the London Metal Exchange during morning trading on Wednesday September 8, with nickel leading the complex, up by 1.7%.The three-month nickel price rose to $19,380 per tonne at 9am on Wednesday, up from $19,506 per tonne at Tuesday's 5pm close. Some 1,650 tonnes of nickel were removed from LME warehouses overnight - mostly from warehouses in Kaohsing in Taiwan, Joh...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 8 that are worth another look.The Ukrainian Intergovernmental Committee for International Trade has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of steel seamless cold-drawn and cold-rolled pipe originating from China.A second lithium trade has been brokered against the CME...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China edged lower on Wednesday September 8; demand has not yet shown a significant improvement despite the advent of peak season.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,750-5,820 yuan ($890-901) per tonne, down by 30-50 yuan per tonneThe most-traded HRC contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange climbed up after touching an intraday low of 5,674 yuan per tonne in over...Read More
The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange continued its uptrend during Wednesday's trading, rising by 1.3% to $2,794 per tonne from $2,757 per tonne at Tuesday's 5pm close after 16,900 lots were traded.Prior to closing at 5pm, the aluminium three-month contract reached an intraday high of $2,810 per tonne, exceeding the previous 2011 high of $2,803 per tonne."Once it [the alumin...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Dalila Ouerghi and ...Read More
Domestic cut and shredded scrap prices in the export-dependent regions of the United States' ferrous scrap market could face further drops in October, pressured by an ongoing decline in US export markets.Plunging prices for US deep-sea cargo exports to Turkey, caused by weakening demand, are reportedly dictating the direction of prices in export-influenced domestic markets, such as Philadelph...Read More
The stainless steel scrap market in the United States seems to have cooled off slightly over this past week because demand for September was slightly weaker, but the bellwether Type 304 stainless solids price continued to increase."It feels like some of the processors are holding back on prices. It seems like there is one buyer every week chasing units [of 304 stainless scrap] and paying higher th...Read More
The price of steel H-beams in the European domestic market was unchanged in the week to Wednesday September 8 despite reduced buying interest, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,050-1,080 ($1,245-1,281) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.While sellers were comfortably booked for September, they con...Read More
The European Union is suggesting the US impose tariff-rate quotas on steel and aluminium imports in a bid to reach an agreement with the US on exempting the EU from its Section 232 measures, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday September 7.The US and EU are widely expected to reach an agreement by November 1 on an exemption from Section 232 for European steel and aluminium.The then-p...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China edged lower on Wednesday September 8; demand has not yet shown a significant improvement despite the advent of peak season.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,750-5,820 yuan ($890-901) per tonne, down by 30-50 yuan per tonneThe most-traded HRC contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange climbed up after touching an intraday low of 5,674 yuan per tonne in over...Read More
The Russian government is proposing to abolish or reduce its recently-imposed export taxes on ferro-alloys - with the exception of ferro-silicon - in a surprise decision announced on Tuesday September 7. No firm date was given for the introduction of the planned changes.The Russian government introduced duties on 340 steel and non-ferrous metals outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in June 2...Read More
UG2 chrome ore prices fell by $11 per tonne on Tuesday September - the largest weekly drop since mid-July 2020 - after sellers cut their offers to revive buying interest dented by production cuts in the downstream alloy and stainless steel markets.Fastmarkets' calculated its chrome ore, South Africa UG2 concentrates index, basis 42%, cif China, down by $11 per tonne (6.3%) at $165 per tonne on Tue...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 transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices decreased on Wednesday September 8 due to limited liquidity in the physical market, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $132.19 per tonne, down by $5.78 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $133.29 per tonne, down by $4.81 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $106.66 per tonne, down by $4.03 per tonne...Read More
UG2 chrome ore prices fell by $11 per tonne on Tuesday September - the largest weekly drop since mid-July 2020 - after sellers cut their offers to revive buying interest dented by production cuts in the downstream alloy and stainless steel markets.Fastmarkets' calculated its chrome ore, South Africa UG2 concentrates index, basis 42%, cif China, down by $11 per tonne (6.3%) at $165 per tonne on Tue...Read More