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
Price variations between the cobalt markets in China and internationally reached all-time highs in 2018 when China reacted to rising volumes of cobalt supply from which the overseas metal markets were somewhat protected.At times, wide differentials created appealing theoretical arbitrage opportunities for Chinese exporters, but it was the sentiment and outlook of overseas buyers that ultimate...Read More
Ningxia Tianyuan, the world's largest manganese flake producer, is still not operating at its full 800,000 tonne per year capacity, sources told Fastmarkets MB. The company was expected to resume full production in December, following seven months of lower output. The company is currently operating at a reduced capacity of 1,600 tonnes per day, sources at the company said. Their full daily...Read More
The Turkish scrap import market was silent on Thursday January 3, with the mills staying away from scrap purchases due to sluggish finished steel demand in Turkey. Most suppliers were still on leave due to the New Year holiday, sources said.The most recent cargo booked into the country took place last weekend from the Baltic Sea, at $283 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2...Read More
Comex copper suffered a third straight decline this morning in the United States to begin the New Year, with continued recession worries and equity market instability sinking the commodities complex.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange sank 3.15 cents to $2.5915 per lb. In macro news, concerns over global economic health have persiste...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed this morning, Thursday January 3, with zinc, aluminium and lead up by between 0.4% and 0.7%, copper up by 0.1% at $5,880 per tonne, and nickel and tin lower by 0.8% and 0.2% respectively.Volume across the complex has been high with 11,375 lots traded as at 06.58am London time.Wednesday's trading saw three-month LME base metals...Read More