Brazilian exports of alumina totaled 743,794 tonnes in July 2021, a 2.55% year-on-year increase from 725,315 tonnes, with the figure boosted by increased shipments from Norsk Hydro, according to data published by the country's economy ministry on Wednesday August 4.According to the data, 412,144 tonnes of alumina were exported via the port of Bel?(C)m in the northern state of Par??, a 25.45% jump...Read More
European buyers of hot-rolled coil have been in "wait-and-see" mode so domestic prices were fairly stable on Wednesday August 4, sources have told Fastmarkets.Sentiment in the market turned negative despite the seasonal slowdown, due to competitive import offers. Although the volumes available have not been significant, according to estimates by market participants, they will still affect sentimen...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 4 that are worth another look.Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), Russia's largest steelmaker, will increase output of hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil by starting up a new line at its Lipetsk site in the second half of 2022.Read More
The United States copper premium continued to rise in the week to Wednesday August 4 and the Shanghai copper premium also rose due to a high import appetite despite arbitrage losses, sources told Fastmarkets.US copper premium range widens upwardFastmarkets adjusted its copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US to 8-9 cents per lb, the highest assessment in over a decade. This reflects a...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday August 4Please click...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 4 that are worth another look.Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), Russia's largest steelmaker, will increase output of hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil by starting up a new line at its Lipetsk site in the second half of 2022.Read More
Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe were unchanged on Wednesday August 4 due to the market heading into a seasonally slower period, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' assessment of steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,400-1,430 ($1,662-1,698) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week."Prices remain above ?,?1,400 per tonne and will stay there until S...Read More
Domestic steel wire rod prices in the south of Europe were broadly flat in the week to Wednesday August 4 despite seasonally slow buying and the availability of cheaper imports, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh quality), domestic, delivered Southern Europe was unchanged at ?,?830-850 ($985-1,009) per tonne on August 4.ItalyThe Italian market wa...Read More
A rebound in Chinese ferrous futures prices on Wednesday August 4 has led to increased interest in booking seaborne steel billet cargoes in China, sources told Fastmarkets.Sharp drops in ferrous futures on both Monday and Tuesday sapped sentiment from the Chinese market, with buyer indications heard as low as $660 per tonne cfr China for 3sp billet on Tuesday.This was down sharply from the la...Read More
Global commodities producer BHP's nickel sulfate plant in Australia is nearing completion and is now at the commissioning stage, BHP Nickel West asset president Eduard Haegel said on Tuesday August 3.Haegel was speaking to the Diggers and Dealers Mining Conference in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.The plant at the Kwinana nickel refinery in Western Australia has begun production, Haegel said. Tanka...Read More
The spodumene price skyrocketed in July with tight availability posting challenges to lithium operations in China, while suppliers intended to negotiate the price more frequently in light of the price rally in the downstream chemical market.Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for spodumene 6% Li2O min, cif China rose to $880-950 per tonne on Wednesday June 30, up by $195 per tonne from $690-750 per to...Read More
Steelmakers in China are preparing to join the country's national carbon trading market by measuring their emission levels to secure carbon quotas that match their output.The China Iron & Steel Association has instructed member mills to submit their production and carbon emission details to it by August 14 to study the quota for every mill. The steel sector is among the next slew of major industri...Read More
Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil in Europe declined in the week to Wednesday August 4 due to increased availability and lower import offers, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel CRC, domestic, exw Northern Europe was ?,?1,270-1,310 per tonne on August 4, down by ?,?30-40 per tonne from ?,?1,300-1,350 per tonne ex-works a week earlier.The corresponding we...Read More
Brazil-based steelmaker Gerdau is investing in new flat-rolled and long steel rolling capacity at its Ouro Branco integrated mill in the country's southeastern state of Minas Gerais, chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck told journalists in a conference call on Wednesday August 4.The company will increase its capacity for hot-rolled coil (HRC) by 250,000 tonnes per year, to 1.1 million tpy, and...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed this morning, Wednesday August 4, and those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were all weaker. While the metals have generally found good underlying support, overhead resistance does seem to be capping the upside, which is perhaps not surprising because we are in the middle of the summer lull.US equities focused on strong results, less on t...Read More
Steel scrap import prices in South Korea were likely to drop again in the next few days with buyers looking to take advantage of tepid local demand in Japan and falling prices in other key Asian import markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 4.South Korea likely to push Japan prices down furtherProduction curbs weigh on Chinese scrap demandOffers for bulk cargoes to Vietnam fallTaiwa...Read More
Benjamin Baptista will retire and leave his role as chief executive officer of ArcelorMittal's Brazilian unit on September 30 after 12 years, with current Latin America long steel CEO, Jefferson De Paula, to replace his role, Baptista said on Tuesday August 3.Baptista joined ArcelorMittal in 1983, when it was still called Companhia Sider??rgica de Tubar??o (CST). It was later bought by Arcelor, to...Read More
China's mixed signals about its decarbonization goals have raised doubts over the country's purported plans to cut steel production in the second half of 2021, market sources said.The central Chinese government had asked steelmakers to reduce steel output in the second half for two reasons. The first is the short-term target of keeping the country's total steel output for this year from exceeding...Read More
Fastmarkets' Ferrous Analytics report helps subscribers keep track of hot metal costs and steel production spreads in China, along with key pricing components of the steelmaking raw materials supply chain in Asia.Read More
Steel scrap import prices in South Korea were likely to drop again in the next few days with buyers looking to take advantage of tepid local demand in Japan and falling prices in other key Asian import markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 4.South Korea likely to push Japan prices down furtherProduction curbs weigh on Chinese scrap demandOffers for bulk cargoes to Vietnam fallTaiwa...Read More