Physical iron ore prices continued to strengthen on Friday January 4, but buyers remained hesitant, especially around seaborne cargoes.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $73.10 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.48 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.93 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.48 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $74.90 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.78 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Prem...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreVale, Beijing...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly higher during morning trading on Friday January 4, with a weaker dollar index spurring buying momentum in London.Climbing more than 3% over the morning, the three-month zinc price was the morning's best performer. The price has gained more than $150 after just 4,000 lots have traded as of 10:10am London time, while a decade-low in...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices dropped sharply on Friday January 4, in line with market participants' expectations.A cargo of premium mid-vol materials was traded at $196 per tonne fob Australia while a shipment of premium low-vol product changed hands at $204 per tonne cfr China, sources told Fastmarkets."Given the weakness in China's downstream market and its domestic coking coal and metallurgical...Read More
Zinc stocks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange surged by almost 40% week on week on Friday January 4, while stocks for other base metals, bar copper and nickel, posted modest weekly increases. Deliverable zinc stocks at SHFE-approved warehouses rose by 7,795 tonnes or 38.8% since December 28 to 27,898 tonnes. This week R&S Logistics in Shanghai saw the most stock entering its sheds - 2,960 tonnes of...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were generally firmer this morning, Friday January 4, with copper, nickel, zinc and lead up by an average of 0.8% - with copper up by 1.1% at $5,840 per tonne. Aluminium and tin bucked the trend, however, to decline by 0.5% and 0.1% respectively.Volume across the complex has been high - as it has been each trading day this week - with 9,9...Read More
China's ferrous futures continued to rise during morning trading on Friday January 4 ahead of bilateral trade talks with the United States and amid plans of new infrastructure investments by the state railway operator for this year.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,473 yuan ($505) per tonne, up 32 yuan per tonneMay hot-rolled coil: 3,369 yuan per tonne...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb on an in-warehouse basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets' price assessment for standard-grade cobalt, in-warehouse, $ per lb Click here for Fastmarkets' price assessment for alloy-grade cobalt, in-warehouse, $ per lbIn light o...Read More
The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Friday January 4:Minor metalsBismuth MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 47,000-49,000 yuan per tonne from 47,500-49,500 yuanChromium MB free market alumino-thermic, $/tonne: $9,800-10,200 from $10,100-10,400Cobalt MB free market alloy grade, $/lb: $25.50-27.25...Read More
The Chinese germanium market is expected to continue to benefit in 2019 from an uptick in demand from downstream sectors such as fiber-optics, photovoltaic systems and infrared applications, market sources told Fastmarkets on Friday January 4.And possible purchases of germanium by a department of the country's government may add further fuel to the rise in the metal's price.The optical fiber, phot...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves. Read More
The following Fastmarkets non-ferrous European free market scrap prices changed on Friday January 4:Aluminium ingotDuty paid delivered works pressure die-casting ingot...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the close of trading on Thursday January 3, with copper futures sinking to their lowest level since June 2017, while tin's three-month price climbed to a four-month high. Topping complex volumes, with 23,800 lots changing hands, copper's three-month price closed below $5,800 per tonne for the first time since August 2018 and was th...Read More
Treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for spot copper concentrates dropped at the end of December, with smelters returning to the market in earnest to pick-up tonnes after securing annual contracts.The Fastmarkets copper concentrate TC/RC index dropped to a three-and-a-half month low of $84.30 per tonne / 8.43 cents per lb on December 31.Spot terms have been inching down since the start of the m...Read More
Anglo American's base metals division will get its own executive to run operations as part of a change to its top management team, the company said on Thursday January 3. Base metals operations, which currently function under the strategy and business division, will be separated on March 1 and run by Ruben Fernandes, the current chief executive officer of Anglo American Brasil. The miner has also...Read More
Fastmarkets worked to empower its customers in 2018 - a year when they had to navigate metal markets in which fundamentals were often tightening even as greater political restraints were placed on trade than for many years.Here's a quick review of the key developments, which also indicate our direction for 2019:We consulted in detail with the industry to meet its requirements for greater transpare...Read More
Treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for spot copper concentrates dropped at the end of December, with smelters returning to the market in earnest to pick-up tonnes after securing annual contracts.The Fastmarkets copper concentrate TC/RC index dropped to a three-and-a-half month low of $84.30 per tonne / 8.43 cents per lb on December 31.Spot terms have been inching down since the start of the m...Read More
The Zambian government has decided to go ahead with the application of a new import duty on copper concentrates this month despite strong opposition from the country's copper producers.The producers told Fastmarkets on Thursday January 3 that they will be compelled to slash output and to lay off mine workers as a result of the new duty."No announcement has been officially issued by the government....Read More
Fastmarkets worked to empower its customers in 2018 - a year when they had to navigate metal markets in which fundamentals were often tightening even as greater political restraints were placed on trade than for many years.Here's a quick review of the key developments, which also indicate our direction for 2019:We consulted in detail with the industry to meet its requirements for greater transpare...Read More