The price for rebar produced and delivered in Northern Europe stayed flat on Wednesday January 9, although the European Commission's recent proposal for 2019 steel import tariffs has removed some of the uncertainty in the market. Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Northern Europe remained at $540-560 ($618-641) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, with no new deals reporte...Read More
Asian steel markets are in for another tumultuous year judging by the rate at which new developments are expected to spring up in 2019.China remains the center of interest, and rightly so, because its economic and governmental policies have cascading effects on the international steel market.While its progressive economic policies have served it well in sustaining its domestic steel sector in the...Read More
European long steel buyers were quiet throughout December on uncertainties arising from the United States' various trade wars, but a European Commission quota proposal in January has offered some hope of more certainty to sellers. The EC proposal for new import quotas for steel products in Europe has finally offered some clarity on what form those quotas will take in 2019, but the US governme...Read More
Fastmarkets MB launched an assessment of chrome ore inventories at the main Chinese ports of Tianjin, Qinzhou, Lianyungang and Shanghai on Monday January 7. After a one-month consultation period following the initial proposal, Fastmarkets MB has decided to launch this assessment to reflect the chrome ore inventory changes at major ports in China. The first assessment was published on January 7. Fa...Read More
The opening of the import window in China's zinc market kept premiums stable in the country while the rest of Asia was experiencing a wide backwardation. Meanwhile, lead premiums in India went up amid a reduction in supply from Iran. Chinese zinc import window remains open. Italian zinc premiums and Indian lead premiums move up. US market quiet after holidays.Chinese zinc import window opens to lo...Read More
Increased numbers of spot market inquiries exposed the greater availability of cobalt in Europe in the first half of the week that began on Monday January 7, with metal prices continuing to fall as a result.Standard-grade cobalt prices dropped to $24.75-26.25 per lb, in-warehouse, on January 9, from $25.75-27.25 per lb at the end of last week.Alloy-grade prices remained slightly lower on January 9...Read More
The European molybdenum markets fell in trading this week to a six-month low, with suppliers cutting their offer prices in the face of stubborn resistance among consumers against paying more.Both the alloy and oxide markets in the second week of January were at prices last seen in July 2018.Moreover, there has been an abundance of spot ferro-molybdenum available since the past quarter, as well as...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday January 9 that are worth another look.Asian steel markets are in for another tumultuous year judging by the rate at which new developments are expected to spring up in 2019.In the United States, the chairs of seven committees in the House of Representatives requested that the US Treasury Department delay the terminat...Read More
Asian steel markets are in for another tumultuous year judging by the rate at which new developments are expected to spring up in 2019.China remains the center of interest, and rightly so, because its economic and governmental policies have cascading effects on the international steel market.While its progressive economic policies have served it well in sustaining its domestic steel sector in the...Read More
The opening of the import window in China's zinc market kept premiums stable in the country while the rest of Asia was experiencing a wide backwardation. Meanwhile, lead premiums in India went up amid a reduction in supply from Iran. Chinese zinc import window remains open. Italian zinc premiums and Indian lead premiums move up. US market quiet after holidays.Chinese zinc import window opens to lo...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher at the close of trading on Wednesday January 9, with a continued uptrend in copper, nickel and tin futures topping gains while a softer US dollar index continues to support commodity investment. Climbing furthest over the afternoon, the three-month copper price appreciated just shy of 1% during afternoon trading, closing at its hig...Read More
The US copper price increased during midweek trading this morning in the US, amid a softer dollar and positive trade talks between the United States and China.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 1.30 cents to $2.6690 per lb. Trade talks between the world's economic powers continued for a third consecutive day earlier this morn...Read More
Turkish pipe export prices have continued to fall with weak demand and lower costs for pipemaking raw materials, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday January 9.Steel pipe mills reduced their offers for EN10219-standard, grade-S235 tube, with 2mm wall thickness, to $570-580 per tonne fob from the $590-600 per tonne heard last month.Fastmarkets' monthly export price assessment for tube of this grad...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher at the close of trading on Wednesday January 9, with a continued uptrend in copper, nickel and tin futures topping gains while a softer US dollar index continues to support commodity investment. Climbing furthest over the afternoon, the three-month copper price appreciated just shy of 1% during afternoon trading, closing at its hig...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday January 9 that are worth another look.Asian steel markets are in for another tumultuous year judging by the rate at which new developments are expected to spring up in 2019.In the United States, the chairs of seven committees in the House of Representatives requested that the US Treasury Department delay the terminat...Read More
Lead-zinc producer Recylex must bring forward maintenance at its Nordenham lead smelter due to the advanced deterioration of the main furnace there, the company said.The refractory bricks of its main furnace have worn out since it was connected to the new reduction furnace in June last year, Recyclex, Europe's third largest lead producer, said on Tuesday January 8. To connect with the reduction fu...Read More
Steve Cotton has been appointed chief executive officer of Aqua Metals in addition to his existing role as company president, the California, US-based firm said. Cotton was also appointed to the company's board of directors as its seventh director.The company is developing AquaRefining technology designed...Read More
Quiet market conditions while the United States and Europe emerged from Christmas holidays and while China prepares for its Spring Festival have kept nickel premiums largely unchanged.But rates on briquettes are showing some signs of downward pressure, market participants said this week. US briquette rate dips but LME drawdowns continue European premiums unchanged, excess briquettes reported ...Read More
The US copper price increased during midweek trading this morning in the US, amid a softer dollar and positive trade talks between the United States and China.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 1.30 cents to $2.6690 per lb. Trade talks between the world's economic powers continued for a third consecutive day earlier this morn...Read More