An overview of the consumer electronics markets and their latest price moves.Dalila Ouerghi and Janie Davies...Read More
China's domestic stainless steel prices rose to their highest in four-and-a-half years over the past week after producers made upward adjustments to their list prices.DomesticStainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic (Wuxi): 16,900-17,500 ($2,609-2,701) per tonne, up by 300 yuan per tonne Prices were last at these levels in December 2016, according to Fastmarkets' data.High productio...Read More
Consolidation has set in across the base metals on the London Metal Exchange this morning, Thursday June 24, while in Shanghai, moves were mixed in response to the combination of yesterday's strength and this morning's weakness on the LME.Broader markets also mixed this morning, suggesting that markets are waiting for directionBase metalsLME three-month base metals prices were down across the boar...Read More
Copper prices on the London Metal Exchange fell on the morning of Thursday June 24, with concerns of earlier-than-expected interest rate increases returning to the market.The three-month copper contract on the LME was down 1.3% at 9am on Thursday, at $9,357.50 per tonne, following a 2% rise at the close of trading on Wednesday, at $9,482.50 per tonne. Wednesday's closing price was the metal's high...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices across China's domestic market moved in a smaller range on Thursday June 24 while futures prices took a respite from choppy trading in previous days, sources said.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,300-5,360 yuan ($819-828) per tonne, narrowing by 20 yuan per tonne. The most-traded HRC contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell during the day, reversing gains from overn...Read More
Domestic steel reinforcing bar prices in the United States stabilized after last week's spike, while import prices continue to climb.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment for steel reinforcing bar, fob mill US was $48 per hundredweight ($960 per short ton) on Wednesday June 23, unchanged from the previous week, but up 11.63% from $43 the month before.US marketAlthough the cost of rebar stabilized this we...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices increased on Thursday June 24 in response to futures gains on Wednesday, stimulating demand for restocking, sources said.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,820-4,850 yuan ($745-749) per tonne, up by 10-20 yuan per tonneOctober rebar futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchanged increased on Wednesday night to trade as a high of 5,022 yuan per tonne, up by 88 yuan per ton...Read More
Iron ore prices declined on increasing steel inventories and a high chance of stricter restrictions on steel mills ahead of centennial celebrations, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $213.46 per tonne, down $2.55 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $217.08 per tonne, down $2.26 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $183.86 per tonne,...Read More
The first shipment of imported scrap since China lifted restrictions - a cargo of 3,000 tonnes booked by Shandong Iron & Steel - cleared customs checks at Lanshan port in Rizhao, Shandong, on June 15, sources told Fastmarkets this week.China officially eased restrictions on scrap imports in January 2021.Buyers have continued to show only limited interest in booking imported scrap cargoes due to th...Read More
Hot-briquetted iron and ferrous scrap will become increasingly important as key steelmaking raw materials in Japan, according to SMBC Nikko Securities' senior analyst Atsushi Yamaguchi.Speaking at the Asia panel session at Steel Success Strategies 2021 on Wednesday June 23, Yamaguchi said the move will happen because of increasing concerns over carbon emissions in Japan, where major steel producer...Read More
Turkish steel mills have broken their silence in the deep-sea scrap import markets with a fresh US cargo sold at a slightly lower price, market sources said on Thursday June 24.A steel mill in the Izmir region booked a United States-origin cargo, comprising 10,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $499 per tonne, 16,000 tonnes of shredded and 2,000 tonnes of bonus at $519 per tonne cfr....Read More
Total world crude steel production among 64 major producer countries reached 174.4 million tonnes in May 2021, up by 16.5% compared with May 2020, the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) said on Tuesday June 22.All regions reported double-digit percentage increases in crude steel output compared with May 2020, which was substantially affected by the initial Covid-19-related lockdowns.Among the la...Read More
A group of Ukrainian parliamentarians have proposed a tax on excess profits from the export of commodities including iron ore, non-ferrous metals, ferrous scrap and rebar, Fastmarkets learned on Thursday June 24.A set of draft laws published on June 16 suggests changes to the country's tax, customs and budgetary codes, according to a note published by Verkhovna Rada, the Ukraine parliament. These...Read More
The Brazilian capital goods association, Abimaq, will meet with China-based Baosteel and local trading house Comexport to pave the way for its members to import more steel amid rising prices and tight supply in the domestic market, the association said on Wednesday June 23."We still don't know details about tonnage or types of products that will be needed," Abimaq's executive president, Jos?(C) Ve...Read More
Consolidation has set in across the base metals on the London Metal Exchange this morning, Thursday June 24, while in Shanghai, moves were mixed in response to the combination of yesterday's strength and this morning's weakness on the LME.Broader markets also mixed this morning, suggesting that markets are waiting for directionBase metalsLME three-month base metals prices were down across the boar...Read More
Much greater investment is needed to expand supply chains to secure critical minerals and expand manufacturing in key materials needed for the energy transition, according to the Acting Undersecretary for Science and Energy at the United States Department of Energy.These investments must ensure sustainable production, refining, and recycling capacity domestically, while ensuring strong environment...Read More
The continuing upward trend in global standard-grade cobalt benchmark prices is inspiring optimistic sentiment across the market and supporting domestic cobalt sulfate and tetroxide prices in China, sources told Fastmarkets this week.Renewed demand in Europe since the middle of June led to an increases in international cobalt benchmark prices and has revived bullish sentiment, leading to a new rou...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 23 that are worth another look.Swedish special steel producer Ovako is to collaborate with carmaker Volvo Group, Hitachi ABB Power Grids, H2 Green Steel and Nel Hydrogen to invest in hydrogen production at Hofors in Sweden, it has been announced.Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange continued to trade higher across the board during the day on Wednesday June 23. Prices across the complex followed their recent upward momentum during Wednesday's trading as a result of pacified market sentiment following the testimony given by Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell to Congress on Tuesday. "In his testimony, Powell's tone was relativ...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday June 23.Please click...Read More