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, tender, 176,924 tonnes of 62.29% Fe Standard Sinter Feed Guaiba, traded at the December average of the MB 62%...Read More
Iron ore prices weakened on Wednesday November 7 amid steel market falls, while supply issues in Australia supported premiums for index-linked cargoes.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $75.27 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.47 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $74.30 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.47 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $78.38 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.92 per t...Read More
Trading activity in the seaborne coking coal market was muted on Wednesday November 7, with participants awaiting a firmer direction to emerge."We have not heard of any aggressive bids in recent days and it seems $220-222 per tonne cfr China for premium low-vol materials is the ceiling," a trader source said.The source added that the presence of opposing factors - robust domestic coking coal price...Read More
Japanese ferrous scrap export prices are leading the downtrend in regional scrap values so far this week.A major regional buyer was bidding for Japanese H2 scrap exports at ?34,000 ($300) per tonne as of Wednesday November 7, while sellers were offering similar materials at ?35,000 per tonne."Japanese H2 prices are coming off and should reach a bottom soon," a Japanese trader told Fastmarkets MB...Read More
Base metals on the London Metal Exchange pushed higher during morning trading on Wednesday November 7, supported by a strong bounce in global equity markets, while the US dollar index lost ground after gains by the Democrats in the US midterm elections. Overnight, US midterm election results indicated a majority win for the Democrats in the House of Representatives, with US president Trump's admin...Read More
China's domestic rebar market maintained its downward trend on Wednesday November 7 with sellers stepping up their efforts to destock.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,500-4,550 yuan ($650-657) per tonne, down 90 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 4,380-4,420 yuan per tonne, down 40 yuan per tonneSellers were actively destocking during the day on the weak futures market and their bearish o...Read More
Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Wednesday November 7*Copper -$156.22 (-1,085.48 yuan) Aluminium -$426.97 (-2,966.72 yuan) Zinc $41.58 (288.94 yuan) Nickel $358.95 (2,494.11 yuan) *Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices fell further on Tuesday November 6 after sentiment was dampened by Tangshan's smaller-than-expected production cuts. DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,000-4,010 yuan ($578-579) per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,990-4,000 yuan per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneShanghai's HRC prices have fallen for a 12th day, with sentiment in the market...Read More
News that Glencore's Katanga Mining will suspend exports and sales of cobalt from Kamoto in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has lent some optimism to 2019 contract negotiations taking place this week at an industry event in Xiamen, China. Sales and exports of material from the DRC mine were halted after it was found that uranium levels in hydroxide produced at Katanga exceeded the limit for...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Wednesday November 7.Base metals on the London Metal Exchange pushed higher during morning trading, supported by a strong bounce in global equity markets, while the US dollar index lost ground after gains by the Democrats in the US midterm...Read More
Long-term contracts for cobalt hydroxide supply in 2019 have been heavily weighted toward lower payables year on year, with discussions centered around increasing availability of intermediates. But the extent of the likely hydroxide surplus' impact on next year's metal market is less clear. Since last year's mating season, Glencore has announced the restart of production at Katanga in the Dem...Read More
Chrome ore and alloy prices dropped in China last week after tender price cuts for November continued to weigh on sentiment, while the US high-carbon ferro-chrome price halted recent declines on an uptick in inquiries. Chinese markets still reacting negatively to lower November tendersAlloy prices hold in JapanSouth Korean alloy prices inch lowerEuropean price drop on plentiful Indian supply ...Read More
The following Fastmarkets UK non-ferrous scrap and foundry ingot prices changed on Wednesday November 7:Aluminium scrapGroup 1 pure 99% & litho: ?1,360-1,410 per tonne from ?1,380-1,430Commercial pure cuttings: ?1,080-1,110 per tonne from ?1,100-1,140Clean HE9 extrusions: ?1,360-1,410 per tonne from ?1,390-1,440Loose old...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 9 points in pre-opening trade.Investors are awaiting interest rate news from the FOMC meeting at 2:00 PM EST. Consensus calls for no change in the Fed Fund rate including indications of a likely increase following the next meeting in December. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of the Weekly Jobl...Read More
(Kitco News) - Kinross Gold Corp. (TSX: K, NYSE: KGC) reversed to a loss in the third quarter as production and gold prices fell, the company reported late Wednesday. Excluding special items, the company listed an adjusted net loss of $48.4 million, or 4 cents per share, a turnaround from adjusted net earnings of $84.1 million, or 7 cents, in the same period a year ago. The net loss was $104.4 mil...Read More
Investors and market participants seem unfazed while bidding the U.S. equities up substantially following the midterm elections which resulted in the Democratic Party now controlling the House of Representatives. Although the Senate remains firmly in control by the Republicans, yesterday's election gave Democrats the needed majority to control the House of Representatives. With one hour left in tr...Read More
(Kitco News) - Gold and silver prices are slightly higher, but well down from earlier daily highs, in early-afternoon U.S. trading Wednesday. The metals were lifted by a drop in the U.S. dollar index today. December gold futures were last up $2.40 an ounce at $1,228.70. December Comex silver was last up $0.08 at $14.58 an ounce.Tuesday’s U.S. mid-term elections turned out as many had expecte...Read More
(Kitco News) - A shift in the political landscape following Tuesday’s midterm elections in the U.S. is only having a material impact on gold prices as the U.S. dollar loses some momentum.As many political pundits expected, the Democratic Party regained control over the House and the Republican Party retained control over the Senate, expanding their majority by five seats. While the U.S. doll...Read More
(Kitco News) - Kitco aficionados, it is now time to have your say in where you think gold prices are heading in the short-term. Create your own user feedback survey Will gold prices go higher, lower or remain unchanged next week? Kitco readers will have until 9 a.m. EDT, Friday to cast their vote. The results will be tabulated and released after noon (12 PM EDT) along with the results from our m...Read More
(Kitco News) - Australia’s weak currency is the key behind the country’s gold mining success, which is seeing new exploration and low debt levels, according to RBC Capital Markets.“The Australia gold mining sector is very healthy; we have strong margins and low to no levels of debt in the sector. There’s plenty of exploration upside, which can deliver some additional discov...Read More