An overview of the Chinese minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves. Read More
Stainless steel prices in Europe are unchanged this week but continuing competition among sellers means further losses are expected to be seen by January. "Competition is still hard and tough and what's threatening us is another drop in prices for Jan. This is almost a certainty," one distributor said. "Trading stainless [steel] is not fun anymore. We're trying to get rid of old stock so we can re...Read More
Austenitic alloy steel scrap prices in the UK market decreased further this week - low demand from stainless steel mills remains the dominant factor in the market. Fastmarkets MB assessed the price of grade-316 scrap solids at ?1,200-1,230 ($1,530-1,619) per tonne delivered, down from ?1,220-1,300 a week earlier, while the price of 18/8 scrap solids fell to ?770-800 per tonne from ?780-830 per...Read More
The following Fastmarkets non-ferrous European free market scrap prices changed on Friday December 7:Aluminium ingotDuty paid delivered works...Read More
Import prices for containerized ferrous scrap in Taiwan and bulk ferrous scrap in Vietnam dropped again this week, after suppliers reduced their offers further and demand remained weak amid soft downstream long steel markets. Lower offers from Japan also continued to depress prices in the Asian scrap markets, sources told Fastmarkets. Vietnam Fastmarkets' import price assessment for heavy melting...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were collectively lower at the close of trading on Thursday December 6, with downward pressure emerging across global equity indices in addition to a sharp downturn in oil futures, which tricked through to metals prices. Prompting the sell-off, escalating concerns over trade tensions between the United States and China continued to deter investors, a...Read More
Comex copper prices sank to a multi-week low in the US morning on Thursday December 6 with the recent equity market downturn suppressing the entire base metals group. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange tumbled 4.30 cents to $2.7310 per lb. Earlier, the contract touched an intraday low of $2.7130, the weakest point since November 14. US e...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were lower across the board during morning trading on Thursday December 6, with downward pressure across the complex stimulated by broad strength in the dollar index, which continues to trade in positive territory after last week's G20 summit. The three-month nickel price has fallen 1.6% and is now back below $11,000 per tonne after trading above the...Read More
Trade log for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China including trades, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per tonne on an ex-works China basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets price assessment for lithium carbonate min 99.5% Li2CO3 battery grade, spot price range, ex-works China, yuan per tonne. Fastmar...Read More
The European ferro-molybdenum market has climbed almost 2.5% in trading by the midweek pricing session on Wednesday December 5, tracking a previous increase in the oxide market, with alloy prices now back to a level last seen on September 14. The ferro-molybdenum, basis 65%, in-warehouse Rotterdam price has risen to $29.50-29.70 per kg, from $28.80-29 per kg on November 30. Around 65 tonnes o...Read More
Trade log for cobalt 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. In addition, the cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, China ex-works, adjustment to the low-grade cobalt low-end price at Co 20.5% basis is on a $ per lb basis. Fastmarkets MB prices Click here for Fastmarket MB's price asses...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market was quiet on Thursday December 6, following a sharp price drop recorded the day before.A steel mill in the Marmara region on Wednesday booked a European cargo comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (75:25), 12,500 tonnes of a mixture of plate and structural (P&S) and HMS 1, 5,000 tonnes of shredded and 2,500 tonnes...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday December 5 pricing session in Asia. Key drivers: Japanese buyers lowered their bid prices after they received more offers from European suppliers who were offering in Japan on waning demand in their normal markets. The price of scrap - the...Read More
Comex copper prices sank to a multi-week low in the US morning on Thursday December 6 with the recent equity market downturn suppressing the entire base metals group. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange tumbled 4.30 cents to $2.7310 per lb. Earlier, the contract touched an intraday low of $2.7130, the weakest point since November 14. US e...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were weaker on the morning of Thursday December 6, with the complex down by an average of 0.9%. Continued weakness in equities, bond yields and increased trade tensions between the United States and China seem to be weighing on sentiment.Three-month zinc and nickel prices led the declines with drops of 1.3% and 1.2% respectively, while th...Read More
Base metals prices, bar those for zinc, on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly lower during Asian morning trading on Thursday December 6, with lingering concerns surrounding the trade tensions between the United States and China causing prices to soften.Despite positive trade headlines on Wednesday, an uptick in tensions overnight and lingering fears that the ongoing trade war between the t...Read More
Trade log for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China including trades, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per tonne on an ex-works China basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets price assessment for lithium carbonate min 99.5% Li2CO3 battery grade, spot price range, ex-works China, yuan per tonne. Fastmar...Read More
Lower lithium prices than a year ago have led to differing price expectations between producers and consumers of lithium compounds in their negotiations for 2019 supply contracts. In light of lower spot prices in China, lithium consumers are seeking to lock in lower contract prices for 2019 by referencing the Chinese spot market price in their deals. But lithium producers are trying to keep prices...Read More
Trade log for cobalt 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. In addition, the cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, China ex-works, adjustment to the low-grade cobalt low-end price at Co 20.5% basis is on a $ per lb basis. Fastmarkets MB prices Click here for Fastmarket MB's price asses...Read More
The European hot-rolled coil market has been under pressure from slow trading and prices are likely to reach the 'bottom' soon, sources told Fastmarkets this week.Demand has been low due to a combination of a seasonal slowdown and high stocks at European distributors. Interest in imported coil has been limited due to long lead times and uncertainty over the definitive decision in a...Read More