Production by Brazilian steelmakers increased by 2.5% year-on-year in September 2018, while national apparent consumption rose by 3.2% in the same month, according to figures published by local steel association A??o Brasil on Friday October 19.The data showed that crude steel output was 3.03 million tonnes during the month, up from 2.96 million tonnes in the corresponding month last year. Rolled...Read More
Water levels in the Rhine and its canals system are at critically low levels, which may mean that steel - especially rebar - and other freight deliveries intending to ship on that route in the coming weeks and months may need to find other delivery options at greater cost.The hot summer earlier this year has given way to continued unseasonably warm and dry conditions - water depths along the Rhine...Read More
Import prices for rebar in Singapore fell further over the past week due to lower offers from sellers.Fastmarkets MB's assessment of import prices 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 22, down from $530 per tonne in the previous week."The best offers now are all at $...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap market was quiet on Monday October 22 but bookings that came to light late on Friday have kept prices stable.Trades for two deep-sea cargoes emerged after the deadline for data submission to Fastmarkets' price assessment on Friday.These two cargoes continued the trend of Turkish mills buying European and Baltic Sea material. No deals for material from the United States h...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have fallen over the past week because the country's lira continued to regain some of its former value, sources said on Monday October 22.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for auto bundle (DKP grade) ferrous scrap was TRY1,770-1,940 ($313-343) per tonne delivered on Monday, compared with last week's TRY1,850-2,040 per tonne.The rise in the assessment came after som...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices rose on Monday October 22 amid bullishness in the steel and ferrous futures markets.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $73.80 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $0.52 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.83 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $0.52 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $79 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $1.32 per tonne.MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $62.26 per t...Read More
CIS export slab prices have remained unchanged over the past week despite modest demand in the major outlet markets because competition in the global marketplace has softened.One of the reasons for the reduced level of competition was that Brazilian suppliers have switched the focus of their activities back to the United States from the European, Turkish and Asian markets.Brazilian companies were...Read More
CIS steel billet suppliers continued to seek support in the markets of Southeast Asia in the second half of October, with customers' interest in imported billet in the Middle East-North Africa (Mena) region remaining low while the finished long steel market is subdued.Offers of CIS-origin billet varied mainly within the range of $460-470 per tonne fob Black Sea, market participants told Fastmarket...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices increased on Monday October 22, tracking the strength seen in the futures market.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,620-4,650 yuan ($667-671) per tonne, up 70-80 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 4,370-4,400 yuan per tonne, up 30-40 yuan per tonneThe benchmark Shanghai Composite Index surged on Monday after senior Chinese government officials talked up the pro...Read More
Prices for China-origin UG2 chrome ore and Turkish lumpy chrome ore rose over the trading session on Friday October 19, while Chinese domestic ferro-chrome spot prices fell slightly on weak demand from stainless steel mills. Turkish lumpy chrome ore prices to China make strong gain in wake of higher UG2 prices Chrome ore price in China supported by lower estimates of stocks Domes...Read More
The ammonium paratungstate (APT) price edged up in Europe at the end of last week, credited to a pick-up in spot activity and amid talks of another round of environmental inspections in China that could take supply out of the market. Fastmarkets' APT quotation in Europe moved up for the first time since June Concentrate prices edge up slightly; market awaits clearer direction Ferro-tung...Read More
Seaborne iron ore pellet prices have fallen - as was expected by market participants - while demand for pellet cargoes in China eased due to the looser restrictions imposed on steel mills for November.The MB 65% Fe Iron Ore Pellet Index, published by Fastmarkets MB, was at $155.63 per tonne cfr China on Friday October 19, down by $4.91 per tonne from a week earlier.The fall in the MB 65% Fe Iron O...Read More
Prices for China-origin UG2 chrome ore and Turkish lumpy chrome ore rose over the trading session on Friday October 19, while Chinese domestic ferro-chrome spot prices fell slightly on weak demand from stainless steel mills. Turkish lumpy chrome ore prices to China make strong gain in wake of higher UG2 prices Chrome ore price in China supported by lower estimates of stocks Domes...Read More
BASF and Nornickel have established a strategic partnership centered around battery materials for electric vehicles, including a feedstock supply deal and co-located facilities, the companies said.The European chemical company has selected Harjavalta, Finland, as the first location for battery materials production that will serve the European automotive market. The plant will be constructed adjace...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were higher across the board by the close of trading on Monday October 22, with prices elevated despite a slightly weaker US stock market opening in addition to a strong US dollar index. Despite a fresh cancelation of more than 25,000 tonnes from LME-listed warehouses in Singapore, the three-month aluminium price drifted down from its intraday high o...Read More
Export prices for flat steel from the Commonwealth of Independent States went down on Monday October 22 on weak demand in the key outlet regions.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for CIS-origin exports of hot-rolled coil (HRC) went down to $517-523 per tonne fob Black Sea on October 22, from $520-530 per tonne fob Black Sea a week earlier."Weak Chinese prices [for HRC] are not the reason for th...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Tuesday October 23.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were higher across the board by the close of trading on Monday October 22, with prices elevated despite a slightly weaker stock market opening in the United States and a strong US dollar index. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at the close...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Monday October 22. Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly higher during morning trading on Monday October 22, buoyed by a sharp uptick in Chinese stock markets, while a sizeable fresh cancelation in LME aluminium stock provided upward momentum for the light metal.Appreciating by just...Read More
Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Monday October 22.Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange saw limited movement during Asian morning trading on Monday, with only zinc seeing a significant change - falling 1.5% - after large deliveries of the metal entered SHFE sheds last week. Check Metal Bulletin's live futures r...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were higher across the board by the close of trading on Monday October 22, with prices elevated despite a slightly weaker US stock market opening in addition to a strong US dollar index. Despite a fresh cancelation of more than 25,000 tonnes from LME-listed warehouses in Singapore, the three-month aluminium price drifted down from its intraday high o...Read More