Tight market conditions in Europe and soaring prices in China buoyed prices in the European ferro-chrome markets in the week to Tuesday July 20, given the likelihood that metal will be attracted to the Chinese country.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome high carbon 6-8.5% C, basis 65-70% Cr, max 1.5% Si, delivered Europe narrowed upwards by 4 cents (1.4%) to $1.34-1.55 per lb Cr on July...Read More
Increasing supplies of H2-grade steel scrap have allowed South Korean buyers to obtain the material at lower prices in the week to Thursday July 22, sources told Fastmarkets.Summer maintenance rounds at various Japanese steelmakers have reduced consumption of material in that local market, but the tighter supply and strong demand seen in higher grades such as Shindachi busheling have kept prices f...Read More
Base metals prices on both the LME and SHFE were mixed this morning, Thursday July 22, but have generally recovered from Monday's weakness, suggesting the dip-buying mentality still dominates. Lead prices at fresh highs as German lead producer Berzelius declared force majeure on supply after severe flooding forced it to suspend operations at its Stolberg smelter. United States 10-year treasury yie...Read More
US flat steel import prices were flat to down in Fastmarkets' latest assessment, reversing course after hitting record highs two weeks ago."Import prices seem to be dropping," a trader source said. Fastmarkets' assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, import, ddp Houston was at $1,620-1,640 per short ton ($81-83 per hundredweight) on Wednesday July 21, down by 2.09% from $1,650-1,700 per ton on July...Read More
Base metals prices were up across the board at the 5pm close of trading on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday July 22, with the market appearing to calm down after a recent period of choppy trading."Two positive macro dynamics were at work this morning, and have provided the LME base metals with much-needed support," Fastmarkets analyst Andy Farida said on Thursday."The US Dollar Index has star...Read More
Domestic and export prices for Chinese stainless steel prices rose sharply over the week ended Wednesday July 21 on tight supply, which led to increased expectations of an export tariff to ease the shortage.DomesticStainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic (Wuxi): 19,000-20,100 ($2,939-3,109) per tonne, up by 1,000-1,300 yuan per tonne from a week earlierPrices have risen to their hi...Read More
Prices in the United States for domestic and imported carbon steel wire rod rose by $40 per ton in July, nearing an all-time high for domestic product and a record for imports.Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for steel wire rod (low carbon) industrial quality, fob mill US was $55-57 per hundredweight ($1,100-1,140 per short ton) on Tuesday July 20, up by 3.70% from 53-55 per cwt on June 1...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Janie Davies, Declan...Read More
An overview of the consumer electronics markets and their latest price moves.Janie Davies, Cristina Belda and...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday July 21.Key drivers The ferro-titanium price range widened higher in the week to July 21 on new deals against renewed demand from buyers ahead of new export duties from Russia which begin on August 31. The major consumers in the steel sector, however, have yet to emerge for longer term contracted deliveries and one steelmaker said t...Read More
Sentiment in the European hot-rolled coil segment has been mixed, with buyers in Northern Europe trying to assess impact of floods on the market and Italian buyers monitoring declining import prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 21.Across the European Union, trading activity has been limited while buyers wait for a clear market trend. Credit lines have been exhausted over the past fe...Read More
Iron ore prices fell on Wednesday July 21 due to steel production cuts in some Chinese provinces for the second half of 2021, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $214.79 per tonne,down $6.25 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $216.17 per tonne,down $6.85 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $176.44 per tonne,down $5.83 per tonne65% Fe...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 21 that are worth another look.Flat steel sales from Brazilian distributors increased by 3.3% year on year in June; volumes began to stabilize after strong growth in the first half of 2021, flat steel distributors...Read More
London-listed Chilean copper miner Antofagasta maintained its annual guidance of 730,000-760,000 tonnes of copper production for 2021, despite output dipping in the second quarter.The company warned that drought conditions at its Los Pelambres mine are the worst than they have been for 12-years, and that guidance could be impacted unless rain returns.In brief: Antofagasta's copper production was 1...Read More
Premiums for copper cathodes in Shanghai's bonded zone traded in the week to Tuesday July 20 at their highest levels since May, while market sources in the United States speculated about possible rises.Premiums in Shanghai rise on strong domestic marketFresh pandemic concerns damp Southeast Asia demandUS premiums steady at high levels.China premium rebounds stronglyChina's import appetite for copp...Read More
A weaker United States ferrous scrap export market is stoking fears that prices could retreat in the August domestic trade after recyclers on the East Coast lowered their selling prices by $10-25 per gross ton in a tell-tale sign.International steel mills have lowered their import prices for US ferrous scrap grades - including heavy melt - this week, citing inflation, higher oil prices and th...Read More
The Cobalt sulfate 20.5% Co basis, exw China, yuan/tonne trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies....Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were broadly stable on Wednesday July 21, with minimal reaction to China's announcement to sell more state reserve metal during the day. The three-month zinc price closed 1.1% lower than the previous day at $2,929 per tonne, while the three-month aluminium price was down 0.5% to close at $2,453.5 per tonne from a day ago,...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 10 points in pre-opening trade. Whirlpool dropped $3.00 to $214.25 despite reporting higher than consensus second quarter revenues and earnings. The company also offered positive guidance. Texas Instruments fell $7.35 to $186.89 despite reporting higher than consensus second quarter revenues and earnings. However, the...Read More
Base metal futures dipped in morning trading on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday July 21, as markets globally took pause after a whipsaw start to the week.Nickel three-month futures led the pack down, dropping 1.31% against Tuesday's 5pm close to $18,420 per tonne.Three-month zinc was the second-biggest faller, down 0.83% at $2,938 per tonne.Overall volume was muted, with copper three-month...Read More