Domestic transaction prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe went up on Wednesday June 23, driven by the continuing shortage of material, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?1,185.04 ($1,411.73) per tonne on Wednesday, up by ?,?30.04 from ?,?1,155.00 per tonne on June 22.The index was up by ?,?50.04...Read More
Inner Mongolia, China's ferro-chrome production heartland, has imposed restrictions on its metallurgical sector in a move that has fueled the high-carbon ferro-chrome markets in China and Europe, and although this may ease off, the gains were unlikely to be lost while alloy ramp-ups continue, sources have told Fastmarkets.The decision to restrict energy consumption in Inner Mongolia since December...Read More
Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange continued to edge up on the morning of Wednesday June 22, with comments by the United States Federal Reserve chairman on future actions by the central back easing tapering concerns."To reassure the markets, US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said: 'We will not raise interest rates pre-emptively because we think employment is too high [or] becau...Read More
Steel billet export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States dropped on Wednesday June 23 after some bookings done at lower levels came to light.CIS suppliers' orders were supported by demand from Turkey, although deals were done at discounted levels.A cargo of Russia-origin billet was sold to the country at $665 per tonne cfr late last week. Considering the recent increase in....Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Janie Davies and...Read More
A summary of China's ores and alloys imports for May 2021.In brief May imports of ferro-chrome declined because buyers were less concerned about domestic supply after Inner Mongolia loosened its energy controls on high consuming companies in the second quarter. Manganese ore imports rose month on month with increased arrivals from...Read More
The Midwest US copper premium rose to its highest level in eight years on Tuesday June 22, while Shanghai premiums remained at decade lows following the news that China plans to sell its copper reserves. US Midwest copper premium ticks up China announces details of plan to release 20,000 tonnes of copper into the spot market Spot Shanghai copper premiums stay depressed US copper demand...Read More
US imports of standard steel welded wire mesh from Mexico are being or are likely to be sold at less than fair value, the Commerce Department said in a final determination on Wednesday June 23.The weighted-average dumping margin has been set at 110.42% for Deacero SAPI de CV and 23.04% for Aceromex SA de CV and all other exporters. Commerce had estimated those margins at 23.67-152.68% in its preli...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in China's domestic market cruised higher on Wednesday June 23, with coking coal supply concerns actin as support and helping to stem the decline in steel futures prices.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,280-5,380 yuan ($814-830) per tonne, up by 10-70 yuan per tonne. The most-traded HRC contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange climbed more than 1% to an intraday high of...Read More
Analysts from Bank of America and KeyBanc Capital Markets see big changes approaching in the United States' steel market, with new capacity scheduled to come online later this year and into 2022, they told attendees of this week's Steel Success Strategies conference.In the atypical cyclical upturn caused in large part by the Covid-19 pandemic, Bank of America analyst Timna Tanners stands by her pr...Read More
China is moving a step closer toward a national plan for the trading of carbon emission permits with the release of guidelines by the Shanghai Environment & Energy Exchange (SEEE) on Tuesday June 22.This follows decade-long pilot projects in several provinces and cities including Shanghai.The SEEE, China's first trading platform for environmental and energy sectors, will be the sole marketplace fo...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
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:?EUR? Impressive advances in ore and alloy prices persisted in March, with most markets posting significant price gains. Strengthening demand from steelmakers along with supply shortages and depleted inventories in numerous markets, as well as freight and transportation...Read More
Iron ore prices rose on Wednesday June 23 amid improved sentiment because of the possible easing of blast furnace restrictions in China's Tangshan province and the sharp rise in coal prices, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $216.01 per tonne, up by $1.69 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $219.34 per tonne, up by $3.34 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grad...Read More
Steel billet export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States dropped on Wednesday June 23 after some bookings done at lower levels came to light.CIS suppliers' orders were supported by demand from Turkey, although deals were done at discounted levels.A cargo of Russia-origin billet was sold to the country at $665 per tonne cfr late last week. Considering the recent increase in....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
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.We spoke in our previous tracker of stainless steel prices ending 2020 on a high. That trend has continued during early 2021 and, in fact, the upward rally in prices has increased its momentum.Compared with the monthly price increase of some 5% seen at the end of 2020, prices for grade-304 stainless steel in al...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 are also mixed this morning, suggesting that markets are waiting for direction.Base metalsLME three-month base metals prices were down...Read More
Iron ore prices rose on Wednesday June 23 amid improved sentiment because of the possible easing of blast furnace restrictions in China's Tangshan province and the sharp rise in coal prices, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $216.01 per tonne, up by $1.69 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $219.34 per tonne, up by $3.34 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grad...Read More
The aluminium price on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose for a second consecutive day on Wednesday June 23 even as the Chinese government announced further details of the sell-off of aluminium reserves on its website on June 22. China's National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration on June 22 said it will sell 50,000 tonnes of aluminium to the market through tenders in an initial batch...Read More