Ferro-chrome prices in Asia and Europe have been trending upward since mid-May amid strong demand, with tightened supply from India fueling the bullish sentiment further in those markets, according to industry sources.India - ranked as the world's fourth-largest producer of ferro-chrome - produced around 1.28 million tonnes of the ferro-alloy in 2019, but last year it produced just 970,000 tonnes...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China rose for the fourth day in a row on Thursday July 8, with futures prices steady after the recent rally, which was sparked by growing expectations that steelmakers will be forced to limit production in the second half of the year.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,700-5,770 yuan ($880-890) per tonne, up by 50 yuan from 5,650-5,720 yuan per tonne. The most-t...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China rose for the fourth day in a row on Thursday July 8, with futures prices steady after the recent rally, which was sparked by growing expectations that steelmakers will be forced to limit production in the second half of the year.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,700-5,770 yuan ($880-890) per tonne, up by 50 yuan from 5,650-5,720 yuan per tonne. The most-t...Read More
All the world's major coking coal importers reduced their purchases in 2020 amid steel production cuts and lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.China, Japan, South Korea, the European Union and India imported a total of 217.76 million tonnes of coking coal last year, down by 10.1% from 2019....Read More
Demand for steel scrap imports into Bangladesh was being limited by the country's extended Covid-19-related lockdown, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday July 8.The strict lockdown, which has been extended until at least July 14, has led to a complete shutdown of the country's steel retail market and has led to an exodus of laborers from the capital city, Dhaka."They are not admitting...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices dropped across the board on Thursday July 8, due to a weakening demand outlook caused by the growing potential for steel production cuts in the second half of the year, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $218.04 per tonne, down $4.35 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $222.00 per tonne, down $3.70 per tonne58% Fe fines high-gr...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange showed mixed directions at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday July 8, with copper and aluminium down on a slowing Chinese economy and talks of tapering from the United States."The takeaway from last night's FOMC [meeting] appears to be that this month... should see the ramping-up of more formal talks on tapering, with the line that the conditions f...Read More
The price gap between higher and lower grades of steel scrap continued to widen in the Japan export market over the past week, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday July 8.Rising demand for heavy scrap (HS) and Shindachi busheling, both from blast-furnace (BF) mills in Japan and buyers in South Korea, has continued to propel prices for these materials upward.On the other hand, limited demand for lo...Read More
Fastmarkets is proposing to launch a fortnightly China pig iron import price assessment to enhance its growing editorial coverage of the Asian market for the steelmaking raw material.The new assessment will be for pig iron with maximum 1.25% manganese content and maximum 0.15% phosphorus content.Market sources expect China to import pig iron in increasing volumes due to its evolving steel industry...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 7 that are worth another look.Automotive production in Brazil rose by 69.58% in June over the corresponding month in 2020, on the industry's recovery from stoppages called during the Covid-19 pandemic last year, automakers' association Anfavea said on July 7....Read More
Fastmarkets is proposing to launch a fortnightly China pig iron import price assessment to enhance its growing editorial coverage of the Asian market for the steelmaking raw material.The new assessment will be for pig iron with maximum 1.25% manganese content and maximum 0.15% phosphorus content.Market sources expect China to import pig iron in increasing volumes due to its evolving steel industry...Read More
Italian steelmaker AFV Beltrame will invest ?,?300 million ($355 million) in a greenfield steel rebar and wire rod facility in Romania that will focus on limiting the environmental impact of its steelmaking activities, the company said on Wednesday July 7.Specifically, the project is hoped to have the lowest emissions of any steel plant in the world in terms of greenhouse gases and suspended dust...Read More
Prices rose in the Commonwealth of Independent States' export billet market in the week to Wednesday July 7 on limited offers from major suppliers and high deals in the week, sources told Fastmarkets.Market participants reported offers from Ukrainian mills at $650 per tonne fob Black Sea, up from $630-640 per tonne one week previously.Russian mills, particularly large mills, held back on exporting...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 7 that are worth another look.Automotive production in Brazil rose by 69.58% in June over the corresponding month in 2020, on the industry's recovery from stoppages called during the Covid-19 pandemic last year, automakers' association Anfavea said on July 7....Read More
Prices in the China ferro-chrome market rose further during the week to Tuesday July 6, as a result of higher alloy tender prices being released and indications the market is tightening under electricity restrictions in key producing regions.Stainless steel producer Tsingshan Group raised its tender price for July-delivery high-carbon ferro-chrome by 950 yuan ($146.80) per tonne, or 12.76%, to 8,3...Read More
Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 7 that are worth another look.Automotive production in Brazil rose by 69.58% in June over the corresponding month in 2020, on the industry's recovery from stoppages called during the Covid-19 pandemic last year, automakers' association Anfavea said on July 7....Read More
An overview of the consumer electronics markets and their latest price moves.Janie Davies, Cristina Belda and...Read More
Domestic prices for steel hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe and in Italy were largely stable on Wednesday July 7 at high levels, despite a market slowdown and increased availability of the material, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers have been holding back from making new deals, preferring instead to take the time to assess the price trend before making orders for material that would be delivered at...Read More
Automotive production in Brazil rose by 69.58% in June over the corresponding month in 2020, on the industry's recovery from stoppages called during the Covid-19 pandemic last year, automakers' association Anfavea said on Wednesday July 7.The figure was lower month on month, however, and supply disruptions have led Anfavea to reduce its estimate for the sector's full-year 2021 performance.Vehicle...Read More