The European ferro-molybdenum market has dropped this week because of slow demand from consumers in the steel sector and from traders, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 21.Moreover, more price losses can be expected in the near term if consumer demand does not pick up, they added, while suppliers typically try to clear out most of their inventories ahead of the new calendar year.Fastm...Read More
The European ferro-molybdenum market has dropped this week because of slow demand from consumers in the steel sector and from traders, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 21.Moreover, more price losses can be expected in the near term if consumer demand does not pick up, they added, while suppliers typically try to clear out most of their inventories ahead of the new calendar year.Fastm...Read More
China continues to rely heavily on imported bauxite, with imports set to reach a five-year high of 70 million tonnes this year, Pi Jianqing, deputy manager of the non-ferrous department of Hanzhou Jinjiang Group, said last week. "China is expecting to import 70 million tonnes of bauxite in 2018. This [is the highest] since 2013, when the market stockpiled large quantities of bauxite on tightness c...Read More
Trafigura's rescue package for Nyrstar comes at a price, with the trader taking greater ownership of one of the world's largest zinc smelter's prized assets in return for helping it bridge a nine-day liquidity crunch. Nyrstar announced on Wednesday November 21 that its biggest shareholder, Trafigura, had granted it a committed working capital facility of $650 million, effective November 30. The Be...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The Turkish steel producers have extended their absence from the deep-sea scrap markets due to sluggish demand for their finished steel products, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 21.In addition to their fears of renewed product outflows from China, the weakening local and export rebar prices have become another obstacle for the mills in Turkey.Rebar prices in China, in both the domes...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday November 21 pricing session in Europe. Key drivers European suppliers resisted cutting prices or held off offering material altogether. The move follows a downward trend in alloy prices that started on September 12, when the market was assessed at $5.80-6.05 per kg, and stopped a couple of weeks ago.Alloy trading activity was generally quiet this week, with only deals...Read More
Comex copper prices bounced back during the midweek trading session with a softer dollar and technical support boosting the red metal.The copper price for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 1.20 cents to $2.7785 per lb.Prices could be volatile today with market participants sidelined due to the upcoming...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board by an average of 0.4% this morning, Wednesday November 21.Lead led the rebound with a 1% gain to $1,979 per tonne, while nickel was little changed and the rest were up between 0.2% and 0.3%, with copper up by 0.3% at $6,194 per tonne.Volume has been below average with 4,562 lots traded as at 7.19am London time. Th...Read More
Albemarle Corp has entered into an exclusive deal with Australian miner Mineral Resources (MRL) that may lead to the development of new battery-grade lithium hydroxide plant in Western Australia.The companies have agreed to consider the creation of a joint venture that would own and operate the Wodgina hard rock lithium mine and ultimately develop an integrated lithium hydroxide operation at the s...Read More
The London Metal Exchange is planning to launch a lithium contract in the second half of 2019 to meet growing demand from the electric vehicle industry, Fastmarkets learned during Asia Copper Week in Shanghai. The contract, announced as part of the exchange's Strategic Pathway in September 2017, will be settled against an index price, with Fastmarkets MB's lithium spot price index one of those bei...Read More
Prices for hollow steel sections in Northern Europe remained unchanged this week, even as feedstock prices continued to fall, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday November 21. Fastmarkets' domestic price assessment for commodity-size, grade-S235 square hollow sections made in Northern Europe was ?,?640-660 ($731-753) per tonne delivered on November 21, unchanged week on week.Although feedstock prices co...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices continued to fall on Wednesday November 21, breaking away from last week's stability, amid pessimism over the country's economic and industrial growth.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,760-3,780 yuan ($541-544) per tonne, down 30-40 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,690-3,710 yuan per tonne, down 70-80 yuan per tonneWhile HRC prices hovered above 3,800 yuan...Read More
China's ferrous futures increased during morning trading on Wednesday November 21, with sentiment improving, especially when it came to steel contracts.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 3,686 yuan ($531) per tonne, up 63 yuan per tonneJanuary hot-rolled coil: 3,583 yuan per tonne, up 76 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange January iron ore: 511 yu...Read More
European prices for mesh-quality wire rod were flat across the Northern and Southern parts of the continent on Wednesday November 21, while concerns over the import quotas imposed by the European Commission (EC) continued to grow.Fastmarkets' weekly domestic price assessments for mesh-quality wire rod in both Southern and Northern Europe stayed at ?,?540-560 ($616-639) per tonne delivered on Wedne...Read More
The price for rebar produced and delivered in Southern Europe widened slightly on Wednesday November 21, although consumers remained unwilling to buy large volumes because questions persist about the European Commission's import quotas.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Southern Europe widened upward to ?,?530-540 ($605-616) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, from ?,?530-535...Read More
The price for rebar produced and delivered in Northern Europe stayed flat on Wednesday November 21, with consumers not willing to commit to purchases during a time of uncertainty in the markets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Northern Europe stayed at ?,?550-560 ($628-639) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, unchanged now for three weeks, after producers resisted lowering...Read More
The Turkish steel producers have extended their absence from the deep-sea scrap markets due to sluggish demand for their finished steel products, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 21.In addition to their fears of renewed product outflows from China, the weakening local and export rebar prices have become another obstacle for the mills in Turkey.Rebar prices in China, in both the domes...Read More
Iron ore market participants took caution on Wednesday November 21 amid volatility in paper markets and continued drops in steel prices.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $74.06 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.59 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $73.25 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.59 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $78.06 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $1.16 per tonne.MB 58% Fe...Read More
China's ferrous futures increased during morning trading on Wednesday November 21, with sentiment improving, especially when it came to steel contracts.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 3,686 yuan ($531) per tonne, up 63 yuan per tonneJanuary hot-rolled coil: 3,583 yuan per tonne, up 76 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange January iron ore: 511 yu...Read More