Domestic rebar producers in the United Arab Emirates reduced their prices on Tuesday August 24 amid low demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand was low because of the summer slowdown and falling prices; buyers preferred to wait to determine how much further prices will fall.The country's biggest producer, Emirates Steel, offered rebar at 2,610 dirhams ($710.46) per tonne, down from 2,957 dirh...Read More
Iron ore prices largely increased on Tuesday August 24 with active trading at China's ports.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $146.13 per tonne, up by $9.42 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $147.96 per tonne, up by $10.74 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $113.91 per tonne, up by $7.27 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cfr Qingdao: $166.1...Read More
As the world's media spotlight falls on Afghanistan, Fastmarkets looks at why reported claims of incoming Chinese mining deals are unlikely to be fulfilled soon.Mes Aynak, Afghanistan's most well-known copper project, means "small copper deposit" in Pashto. Indications suggest it is anything but.The deposit holds 240 million tonnes of 2.3% grade copper ore, according to the United States Geologica...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 23 that are worth another look.Increasing costs for long-term storage at the Chinese port of Tiajnin have added to the financial burdens facing alloy smelters and trading houses this year.Tianyuan Manganese Industry Group (TMI), said to be the world's largest producer of manganese flake, has not halted production, it told Fas...Read More
A summary of China's battery raw materials imports for July 2021, according to the latest Chinese customs data released on Friday August 20.In brief Imports of cobalt rose month on month despite unappealing import profits in June and July. A trader source told Fastmarkets that some cobalt arriving in a Chinese bonded warehouse in July was immediately exported again, meaning the actual amount circu...Read More
Alumina prices climbed on Monday August 23 to their highest since February 1 last year, after trading sideways for most of this month.Fastmarkets' alumina index, fob Australia, was assessed at $305.00 per tonne on Monday, up from $301.32 per tonne on August 20.A deal was reported at $305 per tonne on an fob Western Australia basis earlier on Monday. But market participants were focused on the poss...Read More
Cancellation of 44,000 tonnes of copper in London Metal Exchange warehouses kept the metal's nearby price spreads in backwardation on Monday August 23, while sentiment for LME prices turned positive after a week of selling.Some 44,475 tonnes of copper were booked for removal from the Busan, Singapore and Kaohsiung warehouses on Monday, reducing the amount of metal on-warrant to 197,750 tonnes, the...Read More
Manganese ore prices at China's Tianjin port rebounded during the week to Friday August 20, supported by elevated costs and a drop in stocks after many suppliers destocked in recent weeks.Fastmarkets calculated the manganese ore port index, base 37% Mn, range 35-39%, fot Tianjin, China at 34 yuan ($5.22) per dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) on Friday, up by 0.70 yuan, or 2.1%, from 33.30 yuan per dmtu...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 23 that are worth another look.Increasing costs for long-term storage at the Chinese port of Tiajnin have added to the financial burdens facing alloy smelters and trading houses this year.Tianyuan Manganese Industry Group (TMI), said to be the world's largest producer of manganese flake, has not halted production, it told Fas...Read More
Turkish steelmakers skipped the first working day of the week with no deep-sea scrap trades, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday August 23.The most recent deep-sea trade was recorded at the end of the last week, when a steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a United States cargo comprised of 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $450 per tonne and 3,000 tonnes of bonus and 7,000 tonnes of shredde...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 23 that are worth another look.Increasing costs for long-term storage at the Chinese port of Tiajnin have added to the financial burdens facing alloy smelters and trading houses this year.Tianyuan Manganese Industry Group (TMI), said to be the world's largest producer of manganese flake, has not halted production, it told Fas...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have continued to weaken over the past week in line with falling imported scrap values, market participants told Fastmarkets on Monday August 23.Turkish steel mills continued to book deep-sea scrap cargoes with prices continuing to weaken throughout the week to August 23.Fastmarkets' daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), US origin, cfr Turkey was...Read More
A summary of China's battery raw materials exports for July 2021, according to the latest Chinese customs data released last Friday August 20.In brief?EUR?Lithium hydroxide exports fell month on month due to a shortage in China amid lithium feedstock supply constraints coupled with strong demand from the...Read More
Australia-listed IGO Limited has announced its first lithium hydroxide chemical production at Kwinana Lithium Hydroxide Refinery in Australia, it said on Monday 23 August.On 30 June, IGO completed a joint venture deal with Chinese Lithium producer Tianqi Lithium. The joint venture is 49% owned by IGO and 51% owned by Tianqi. The refinery will improve product quality to battery grade for...Read More
The domestic hot-rolled coil market in Europe remained quiet on Monday August 23, with buyers and mills split over the price trend for September, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe at ?,?1,143.33 ($1,337.42) per tonne on August 23, up by ?,?0.83 per tonne from ?,?1,142.50 per tonne on Friday August 20.The i...Read More
A summary of China's battery raw materials imports for July 2021, according to the latest Chinese customs data released on Friday August 20.In brief Imports of cobalt rose month on month despite unappealing import profits in June and July. A trader source told Fastmarkets that some cobalt arriving in a Chinese bonded warehouse in July was immediately exported again, meaning the actual amount circu...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe and Italy were broadly unchanged during the week to Friday August 20 amid low trading activity during the summer holiday slowdown.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe at ?,?1,142.50 ($1,336.45) per tonne on Friday, down by ?,?0.63 per tonne day on day from ?,?1,143.13 per tonne. The index...Read More
Increasing costs for long-term storage at the Chinese port of Tiajnin have added to the financial burdens facing alloy smelters and trading houses this year.In late December 2020, Tianjin Port Group passed a proposal to raise the ceiling level on storage charges for non-ferrous cargoes held at the largest port in northern China.From January 1, 2021, it announced, non-ferrous cargoes stored for lon...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices in China extended their gains on Monday August 23, buoyed by constrained production but subdued by rising inventories and persistent concerns over demand.DomesticSteel hot-rolled coil domestic, ex-whs Eastern China (Shanghai) was 5,660-5,700 yuan ($870-876) per tonne, up by 30-40 yuan per tonne from Friday August 20.The most-traded HRC contract on the Sha...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices moved up on Monday August 23 on strengthening demand in many parts of the country, though heavy rain continued to keep demand in a few provinces subdued. DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,130-5,170 yuan ($788-794) per tonne, up by 50-60 yuan per tonneConstruction activity has increased in large parts of China, such as the eastern and northern region, on clear weathe...Read More