Prices for low-grade and high-grade manganese ore continued to diverge over the past week, with those for lower-grade material falling while quotations for higher-grade ore rose on the back of last-minute trades concluded at higher prices. Low grade ore prices slide while higher grade rises Chinese silico-manganese prices strengthen Indian silico-manganese prices dip at low end ...Read More
A summary of Glencore's second quarter production results for the three months ended June 30 (own-sourced output volume, year-on-year change):Copper - 350,800 tonnes, +10%Increase reflects the restart/ramp-up of Katanga operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Own-source copper sales during the period were some 32,000 tonnes lower due to timing of shipments H1 2018 production was up 8%...Read More
Tungsten prices retreated in the week to Friday July 27 after ammonium paratungstate supply from China resumed following the end of environmental-related suspensions in Jiangxi. Metal Bulletin assessed prices for ammonium paratungstate (APT) in the European free market at $323-330 per metric tonne unit, cif Rotterdam, on Friday, down from $333-341 per mtu the previous week. Prices had peaked...Read More
Charge chrome and ferro-chrome prices weakened in China last week amid poor demand and a protracted standoff in the ore market. Charge chrome import prices weaken in ChinaUG2 chrome ore prices drop in China Alloy prices fall in South Korea, Japan European, US alloy prices steadyImported chrome prices weakened in China on Friday July 27 due to poor demand that has left the chrome ore market in a st...Read More
Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Tuesday July 31. Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were up across the board during morning trading on Tuesday, with a weaker dollar providing broad support to the complex.Check Metal Bulletin's live futures report here. Talison Lithium plans to increase its current lithi...Read More
Talison Lithium plans to increase its current lithium concentrate production threefold to fulfill the lithium supply needs of the company's shareholders, Tianqi Lithium and Albemarle.Australia's Talison Lithium, currently operating in Greenbushes in Western Australia, is the world largest lithium concentrate mine and plans to triple its production capacity in three years. Talison said that their o...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained silent for a second day this week, keeping prices stable, while the market mulls the increased inflation forecast from Turkey's central bank on Tuesday July 31.The market was quiet today while it awaited the announcement, market participants told Metal Bulletin.Metal Bulletin's daily index for Northern European HMS 1&2 (80:20) closed the day at $328.72 per tonne cf...Read More
As a result of a technical error, coking coal prices for July 31 were published on the Metal Bulletin price book later than scheduled. Metal Bulletin's price book has been updated and the affected prices are showing as normal. To provide feedback on the delayed publication of the coking coal indices, please contact Deepali Sharma by email at: Deepali.sharma@metalbulletin.com. Please add the subjec...Read More
Seaborne iron ore fines traded at higher prices on Tuesday July 31 while a lump cargo changed hands at a weaker price, Metal Bulletin was told.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $68.19 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $0.54 per tonne.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $67.17 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $0.59 per tonne.Metal Bulletin 58% Fe Premium Index: $55.21 per tonne cfr Qingdao,...Read More
Global direct-reduced iron (DRI) output increased 27.15% year on year in June 2018, according to new statistics published by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) late last week.Total output was 7.31 million tonnes in June 2018 compared with 5.75 million tonnes a year previously, an increase of 1.56 million tonnes.Production was down on a monthly basis, with May figures 160,000 tonnes...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transactions: iron oreIron oreRio Tinto, tender, 190,000 tonnes of 61% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, sold at $65.89 per tonne cfr China, laycan August 15-24.Rio Tinto, Global Ore,...Read More
Comex copper prices recovered after a three day downturn with talks of a strike at Escondida mine spurring the red metal higher.Copper for September settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 2.30 cents or 0.8% to $2.8150 per lb.With a potential strike looming, production cuts at the Chilean mine have historically affected the...Read More
Grant Barratt, former director of metal sales at ScotiaBank, has joined ED&F Man in New York, the company said. Barratt, who also worked at Jefferies Bache, has worked in London, Hong Kong and New York both in metals sales and trading capacities for institutional and corporate clients. He is the 13th metals hire to the Category 1 member...Read More
Prices for seaborne premium hard coking coal sold into China picked up on Tuesday July 31, though market participants remained bearish, mostly due to ongoing port congestion in the country.A cargo of a top Australian brand and another of premium mid-vol materials, both with a September laycan, were traded at $186.88 per tonne cfr China and $178.36 per tonne cfr China respectively via a tender duri...Read More
Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Tuesday July 31*Copper -$69.25 (-473.71 yuan) Aluminium -$461.80(-3,159.20yuan) Zinc -$21.98 (-150.35 yuan) Nickel -$263.85 (-1,804.98 yuan) *Metal Bulletin calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily...Read More
Base metals on the London Metal Exchange were broadly range-bound during morning trading on Tuesday July 31, eased by stock drawdowns, cancelations and a weaker US dollar index while trade tensions keep investors guarded. "While the effects of the trade dispute are now noticeable - import tariffs on Chinese products worth $34 billion have been in place in the US since July 6," Commerzbank Research...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Tuesday July 31.Base metals on the London Metal Exchange were broadly rangebound during morning trading on Tuesday July 31, eased by stock drawdowns, cancelations and...Read More
Glencore produced 16,700 tonnes of cobalt in the first half of the year, up 31% compared with a first half of 2017.Increased production from the company's African copper assets (Katanga, Mutanda and Mopani) accounted for the bulk of the rise; the assets produced 14,800 tonnes of cobalt in the first six months of 2018, versus 11,200 tonnes a year earlier. The increase is attributable to the ramp-up...Read More
China's steel futures strengthened during morning trading on Tuesday July 31 following the release of monthly spot market inventory data showing a sustained decrease for Chinese rebar, while the raw materials contracts declined during the session.Futures closing prices - morning sessionShanghai Futures Exchange October rebar: 4,171 yuan ($612) per tonne, up 35 yuan per tonneOctober hot-rolled coil...Read More
China's crude stainless steel output increased 13% in the first half of year of 2018 amid healthy profit levels among mills and a steady increase in demand. Stainless steelmakers in the country produced 13.64 million tonnes of crude stainless steel during the period, up 1.59 million tonnes from an adjusted 12.05 million tonnes in the first half of last year, according to data released by the China...Read More