Prices for manganese ore imported into China on an fob basis ticked upward in the pricing session that ended on Friday October 26, while trading activity started to pick up in China before the onset of winter. High- and low-grade manganese ore prices showed modest increases Manganese ore grade prices in China ticked upward Falling bids weigh on Indian silico-manganese prices US focuses on long-ter...Read More
The need for investment in new lithium projects creates a need for risk management tools, but the market's immaturity creates challenges, according to panelists at an LME focus session during this year's annual LME Week. Increasing demand for lithium compounds arising out of the electric vehicle and battery boom has created an appetite to bring new projects on stream, but there are risks associate...Read More
Vietnam's Southern Steel Sheet Co (SSSC) is targeting a larger share of the coated coil market by adding a third galvanizing line to its Nhon Trach operations in the country's Dong Nai province.Italian equipment supplier Tenova will supply the company - a joint venture of Vietnam Steel Corp, Japan's Sumitomo Corp and Malaysia's FIW Steel - with a galvanized coil line with capacity of 150,000 tonne...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices dropped on Monday October 29 amid weak demand, with trading activity being described as "very sparse." DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,150-4,170 yuan ($597-600) per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,080-4,090 yuan per tonne, narrowing downward by 10 yuan per tonneTrading today was very thin during the day, with traders in both the northe...Read More
China's ferrous futures fell during morning trading on Monday October 29 after the central Chinese government voiced its objection over what it considered to be indiscriminate restrictions to cut emissions.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 4,168 yuan ($600) per tonne, down 34 yuan per tonneJanuary hot rolled coil: 3,854 yuan per tonne, down 41 yuan p...Read More
The price for import merchant bar shot up due to confirmed sales of Mexican material into the southern and southwestern United States, while that for domestic material was steady due to calm market conditions. Fastmarket AMM's latest assessment for imported merchant bar rose to $770-800 per short ton ($38.50-40 per hundredweight) ddp port of Houston on Friday October 26 from $640-680 per ton...Read More
French tube and pipe maker Vallourec said last week that it would not subsidise a takeover bid for its joint-venture Ascoval steel mill in France, which may now have to close.Ascoval said in March that it was searching for a new majority shareholder that would allow it to continue steelmaking operations beyond 2019, after Swiss special steels maker Schmolz & Bickenbach acquired Ascoval's majority...Read More
Import prices for rebar in Singapore were stable over the past week on thin demand for the long steel product.Fastmarkets MB's import price assessment for rebar in Southeast Asia - which mainly looks at cargoes sold into Singapore on a theoretical weight basis - was $525-530 per tonne cfr for the week to Monday October 29, unchanged from the preceding week."The best offers are still $530 per tonne...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued to book cargoes in the deep-sea scrap trade, with two more transactions coming to light, pushing prices up further on Monday October 29.These two deals were heard on Friday after the data submission deadline for the day.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $335 per tonne, shredded at $340 per tonne and...Read More
Iron ore prices were largely steady on Monday October 29, with limited liquidity in the spot market amid expectations of a loosening of steelmaking restrictions in China.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $76.48 per tonne cfr Qingdao, unchanged.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $75.51 per tonne cfr Qingdao, unchanged.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $80.23 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.17 per tonn...Read More
Seaborne iron ore pellet prices dipped for the third consecutive week on Friday October 26, on limited demand from China according to market participants.Fastmarkets' MB 65% Fe Iron Ore Pellet Index (MBIOI-PT) was $152.47 per tonne cfr China on Friday, down by $3.16 per tonne from a week earlier.The fall in the MBIOI-PT is based on the visible market activity detailed below.A 65% Fe Indi...Read More
Positive sentiment continued to spread in the CIS export billet market on Monday October 29, despite a lack of confirmed deals and no major price changes.Market participants said that ongoing improvements in import scrap prices in Turkey should provide support for CIS billet sellers.Another supporting factor was that fewer customers were willing to deal with Iranian materi...Read More
Rebar prices edged up in northern China on Monday October 29 on a slight buying blip while those in the eastern region were stagnant amid transportation restrictions.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,650-4,680 yuan ($669-674) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 4,410-4,450 yuan per tonne, up 10 yuan per tonneRebar futures dropped during the day, but spot prices held up, with those in...Read More
China's ferrous futures fell during morning trading on Monday October 29 after the central Chinese government voiced its objection over what it considered to be indiscriminate restrictions to cut emissions.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 4,168 yuan ($600) per tonne, down 34 yuan per tonneJanuary hot rolled coil: 3,854 yuan per tonne, down 41 yuan p...Read More
Prices for manganese ore imported into China on an fob basis ticked upward in the pricing session that ended on Friday October 26, while trading activity started to pick up in China before the onset of winter. High- and low-grade manganese ore prices showed modest increases Manganese ore grade prices in China ticked upward Falling bids weigh on Indian silico-manganese prices US focuses on long-ter...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Monday October 29, with strong consumer spending figures from the United States fueling broad strength in the US dollar index and adding downward pressure on prices.In a report released by the US Commerce Department, consumer spending increased by 0.4% over October, however, this is the smallest gain in 15...Read More
Ammonium paratungstate (APT) prices remained supported, with a new round of environmental inspections expected to take supply out of the market. Environmental inspections team to return to Jiangxi, Hunan provinces; APT price supported Ferro-tungsten prices range-bound on weak demand, oversupply Concentrates prices unchanged awaiting clear market directionFastmarkets MB assessed the European APT pr...Read More
Positive sentiment continued to spread in the CIS export billet market on Monday October 29, despite a lack of confirmed deals and no major price changes.Market participants said that ongoing improvements in import scrap prices in Turkey should provide support for CIS billet sellers.Another supporting factor was that fewer customers were willing to deal with Iranian materi...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Tuesday October 30.Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange were lower at the close of trading on Monday October 29, with strong consumer spending figures from the United States fueling broad strength in the US dollar index and adding downward pressure to the market. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at t...Read More
Good morning from Fastmarkets' offices in Asia, bringing the latest news and pricing stories on Monday October 29. Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were predominantly higher during Asian morning trading, with zinc showing the biggest gains on depleting inventories; meanwhile tin and...Read More