An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.What will drive prices in 2019? Join...Read More
Base metals on the London Metal Exchange were firmer this morning, Friday January 11, with three-month prices up by an average of 0.9%. Zinc and nickel led the way with gains of 1.3% and 1.2% respectively, while copper was up by 0.9% at $5,972 per tonne as at 6.45am London time - the same price it held at a similar time on Thursday.Volume across the complex has been above average with 8,805 lots t...Read More
Prices were unchanged in the European stainless market in the week to Friday January 11, with trading beginning to pick up after the Christmas/New Year break int he region - although full activity has not yet been achieved. It remains unclear to what extent the sharp decreases to alloy surcharges have been implemented by distributors and service centers in their own selling prices. Many such...Read More
The following Fastmarkets non-ferrous European free market scrap prices changed on Friday January 11:Aluminium ingotDuty paid delivered works pressurediecasting ingot price...Read More
Asian ferrous scrap prices dipped during the week ended Friday January 11 this week despite stronger demand from end users in the region.Steel mills in Vietnam and South Korea booked large volumes of ferrous scrap throughout the week from the United States, Japan and Russia. However, prices did not increase due to the ample supply in the market.Vietnam Fastmarkets' import price assessment for heav...Read More
Manganese ore prices have started 2019 by continuing a slide that began last December, weighed down by weak downstream demand in China, where market participants are reluctant to buy amid price risk fears.Manganese ore prices have started 2019 by continuing a slide that began in December, weighed down by weak downstream demand in China, where market participants are reluctant to buy because of fea...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange had mixed fortunes at the close of trading on Thursday January 10, with zinc's three-month price continuing its downtrend while positive US job data spurred a marginal uptick in the US dollar index.Zinc's three-month price continued to trade in a downtrend over the afternoon, closing 1.2% lower day on day and falling further from its support level of...Read More
The London Metal Exchange has altered its fee-cap structure to accommodate position transfers related to the United Kingdom's impending exit from the European Union (Brexit), in line with the requirements of its membership base, according to a note released to members on Tuesday January 8.Previously, the LME's position transfers, which are a common feature in exchange-traded derivatives markets an...Read More
Zinc came under pressure on the London Metal Exchange in morning trading on Thursday January 10, shrugging off continued market optimism about recent US-China trade talks.The three-month zinc price fell 1.2%, ignoring the continued drawdown of LME inventories - only 109,025 tonnes are now on-warrant. Additionally, the metal's cash/three-month spread remains in a backwardation of $21.50, narrowing...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday January 10 that are worth another look.Chinese central government regulators will begin a new round of environmental protection inspections in the country's metals and mining industry this year, which will take about four years to complete. The volatility in manganese ore prices should rise in 2019 while increases in...Read More
Fastmarkets looks at five key things to watch out for in China's nickel and stainless steel markets this year against a backdrop of nickel pig iron (NPI) project ramp-ups and a country-wide clampdown on new crude stainless steel capacity.NPI deficit to persist despite project ramp-upsWhile the ramp-ups of a number of NPI projects were announced in 2018 and this is expected to narrow the deficit of...Read More
The volatility in manganese ore prices should rise in 2019 while increases in alloy smelting production and rail transportation capacity in China filter into the market, however, prices are expected to soften short term due to pressure from alloy smelters, market participants said.Higher volatility in the manganese ore price would represent a return to normality, with the last six months of 2018 u...Read More
The Chinese domestic cobalt sulfate price has moved up due to tightened supply amid active restocking activities ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday from February 4-10.Fastmarkets MB's China cobalt sulfate, basis 20.5% Co, ex-works price rose to 66,000-68,000 yuan ($9,669-9,962) per tonne on Wednesday January 9, from 65,000-68,000 yuan per tonne previously. Meanwhile, the accelerated downtrend in...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to book deep-sea scrap to replenish low stock levels on Thursday January 10, while the finished steel markets were still weak.A steel mill in the Izmir region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 28,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $280 per tonne, 5,000 tonnes of shredded at $285 per tonne and 3,000 tonnes of bonus at $290 per tonne...Read More
The US copper price slipped into negative territory on Thursday morning amid a rebounding dollar and few details about the China-United States trade talks. The United States copper price slipped into negative territory on Thursday morning amid a rebounding dollar and few details about the US-China trade talks. The copper price for the March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mer...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part little changed this morning, Thursday January 10. The exceptions were nickel that was up by 0.4% and lead that was up by 0.6%. The three-month copper price was up by 0.1% at $5,972 per tonne, with the high so far on Thursday being $5,985.50 per tonne.Volume across the complex has been average with 5,342 lots traded...Read More
The Chinese domestic cobalt sulfate price has moved up due to tightened supply amid active restocking activities ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday from February 4-10.Fastmarkets MB's China cobalt sulfate, basis 20.5% Co, ex-works price rose to 66,000-68,000 yuan ($9,669-9,962) per tonne on Wednesday January 9, from 65,000-68,000 yuan per tonne previously. Meanwhile, the accelerated downtrend in...Read More
Trade log for nickel sulfate in China including transactions, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets MB. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are yuan per tonne on an ex-works basis.Fastmarkets MB pricesClick here for Fastmarkets MB's price assessment for...Read More
Some of China's domestic hot-rolled coil exporters have started to lower their offers unofficially after days of sparse trading with the aim of stimulating sales.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,640-3,650 yuan ($533-534) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,620-3,630 yuan per tonne, unchangedPrices in Shanghai dipped on Thursday January 10, with a source there telling Fa...Read More
China's coking coal and coke futures fell during morning trading on Thursday January 10, while other ferrous contracts were little changed.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,528 yuan ($516.50) per tonne, down 3 yuan per tonneMay hot-rolled coil: 3,433 yuan per tonne, up 1 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 508 yuan per tonne, down 1 y...Read More