The state of Odisha has announced its intention to become India's key steelmaking hub after approving several projects that will almost double the steel production capacity of the region.The chief minister of Odisha state, Naveen Patnaik, announced last week that he had given high-level clearance to five major industrial projects that would invest 1.46 trillion rupees ($19.6 billion) into the regi...Read More
Prices for carbon steel plate in the United States were sideways for the third week in a row, with market participants predicting it will remain flat or rise soon.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment for steel cut-to-length plate carbon grade, fob mill US was at $75 per hundredweight ($1,500 per short ton) on Friday July 9, unchanged since June 25 but nearly triple $26 per cwt at the same time last year...Read More
While more upside awaits finished steel prices, the United States' domestic ferrous scrap market might have plateaued or reached its 2021 peak, buyers and sellers told Fastmarkets.At the same time, there are a host of positive aspects that suggest the market will remain strong, even if upside might be limited.The July market was like a Kentucky Derby horse race, with commentators spending hours di...Read More
Base metals futures prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower during morning trading on Monday July 12 compared with their Friday closing prices, with the exception of tin.Nickel's three-month price was down 1% on Monday at 9am from Friday's close at $18,747 per tonne. The stainless steel additive reached as high as $18,830 per tonne, however, its highest level since March 1.Three-mont...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 12 that are worth another look.A group of Brazilian construction and real estate companies received a 20,000-tonne shipment of rebar from Turkey last week, national construction industry chamber CBIC said.The waiting time...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.As we approach the end of the first half of 2021, steel markets in Europe and the United States continue to heat up. This six-month period is largely unprecedented, with both steel prices and steelmakers' margins hitting a number of new record highs throughout.The rally is likely nearing its end, however, with global steel ou...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:?EUR? US sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum persisting into June. Actual US hot-rolled coil prices averaged $1,553 per ton in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,540 per ton. Prices remain supported by strong underlying sup...Read More
The latest forecasts and analysis of the ferrous scrap and iron metallics market from the Fastmarkets research team are ready to be viewed.Stifled automotive output this year, driven by a supply shortage of semiconductor chips used in vehicles, has tightened prime scrap availability and widened the spreads between this grade of steelmaking raw material and obsolete scrap.While wide prime-over-obso...Read More
Stainless steel prices continue to register new highs around the end of the first half of 2021 and steelmakers continue to enjoy outsized margins.They have responded in recent months by increasing their output, which has now pushed above pre-pandemic levels and will eventually restore balance to the market.For now, though, supply gaps are still being filled and buyers find themselves competing aga...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe increased in the week to Friday July 9, supported by continuing supply tightness.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?1,162.92 ($1,380.68) per tonne on July 9, up by ?,?13.42 per tonne week on week and up by ?,?15.23 per tonne month on month.The index was based on achievable prices...Read More
The markets for different grades of manganese ore are diverging rapidly, with low grade prices under sustained pressure from heavy stocks at ports, sources told Fastmarkets.Miners dropped their offers for 37% manganese while many buyers gave low counter bids based on portside prices.Fastmarkets calculated the manganese ore port index, base 37% Mn, range 35-39%, fot Tianjin, China at 34.30 yuan ($5...Read More
A group of Brazilian construction and real estate companies received a 20,000-tonne shipment of rebar from Turkey last week, national construction industry chamber CBIC said.The chamber has gathered 137 companies in Brazil that were interested in importing rebar, and the material was booked in late February, CBIC said on Friday July 9.A second 20,000-tonne shipment booked by the same group wi...Read More
Brazilian domestic steel rebar prices were steady in July amid a stabilization in foreign markets and an increase in internal supply.Fastmarkets assessed the price for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, monthly, delivered Brazil, at 5,560-5,690 Reais ($1,057-1,081) per tonne on Friday July 9, unchanged since May 14, when it had come down from an all-time high of 5,630-5,700 Reais per tonne s...Read More
The waiting time to deliver out aluminium at Istim's London Metal Exchange-registered warehouses in Port Klang, Malaysia, was 168 days at the end of June, according to the LME's latest queue report.The queue has been declining very slowly over the past few months, down from 176 days at the end of May and 199 days at the end of April. The queue has been in place since a series of large cancell...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 12 that are worth another look.A group of Brazilian construction and real estate companies received a 20,000-tonne shipment of rebar from Turkey last week, national construction industry chamber CBIC said.The waiting time...Read More
Tin's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange reached a new year-to-date peak of $32,250 per tonne on Monday July 12, with the soldering metal being the star performer while the rest of the base-metals complex fell from their Friday prices.Tin's futures contract was $32,094 per tonne at the close of trading on Monday, a 1.3% rise from its price at the same time on Friday of $31,680 per tonn...Read More
The waiting time to deliver out aluminium at Istim's London Metal Exchange-registered warehouses in Port Klang, Malaysia, was 168 days at the end of June, according to the LME's latest queue report.The queue has been declining very slowly over the past few months, down from 176 days at the end of May and 199 days at the end of April. The queue has been in place since a series of large cancell...Read More
Hebei Iron & Steel Group (HBIS), China's second-largest steelmaker, lowered its purchase price for July-delivery silico-manganese to 7,500 yuan ($1,157) per tonne, the company said on Monday July 12.The latest price is 300 yuan lower than the mill's previous purchase price of 7,800 yuan per tonne for June-delivery cargoes.HBIS' price, which applies to cargoes delivered to warehouses, includes valu...Read More
China's nickel pig iron (NPI) prices were unchanged last week amid a softening of stainless steel prices and thinner trading, though those for nickel ore still increased because of tight supply.Fastmarkets' price assessment for nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China was 1,225-1,250 yuan ($189-193) per nickel unit last Friday July 9, the same as a week earlier, but up by 10...Read More
Zhongwang Aluminum Industry Company plans to re-activate 200,000 tonnes per year of aluminum production in October, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday July 12.Zhongwang is located in the Liaoning province in Northern China and is a subsidy of China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd., The company currently has a working capacity of 430,000...Read More