The United Kingdom and Australia secured a free trade deal on Tuesday June 15, which marks the first agreement negotiated from scratch since Britain's departure from the European Union.The UK government has hailed the agreement as an important step in building new trade relationships post Brexit. Previous deals reached with other nations such as Japan and Norway were built upon existing arrangemen...Read More
The Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbtrade 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.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs...Read More
The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb 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.Fastmarkets...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were mixed this morning. S&P 500 futures were unchanged in pre-opening trade. Investors are waiting for an update on the Fed Fund Rate from the Federal Reserve at 2:00 PM EDT. Consensus calls for no change in the Fed Fund rate at 0.00%-0.25%.U.S. equity index futures were virtually unchanged following release of the May Housing Start report at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus w...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday June 14 that are worth another look.Brazilian steelmaker Usiminas will restart its No2 blast furnace (BF) at the Ipatinga mill, in southeastern Minas Gerais state, after almost eight months of downtime, the company said in a filing...Read More
Futures prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the close on Monday June 14, with a quiet day of trading for such metals as copper due to the Dragon Boat Festival holiday observed in China. Nickel logged the biggest price gain on Monday, with the three-month contract rising by 1.39% to $18,480 per tonne from Friday's closing price of $18,227 per tonne and by 3.29% from the...Read More
Fastmarkets has settled its premium for the supply of aluminium to main Japanese ports (MJP) in the third quarter of 2021 at $172-185 per tonne over the London Metal Exchange cash price. The premium is 20.20% higher than the second-quarter benchmark of $148-149 per tonne and more than double the third-quarter of 2020 which settled at $75-79 per tonne cif MJP. The premium has risen for th...Read More
Manganese ore prices dropped on Friday June 11 after buyers in China staged resistance to rising offer prices from miners and liquidity decreased. Fastmarkets' index for manganese ore 44% Mn, cif Tianjin was calculated at $5.12 per dry metric tonne (dmtu) on Friday, down by 3.21% from $5.29 per dmtu a week earlier.Fastmarkets' manganese ore index 37% Mn, cif Tianjin edged down by 0.21% t...Read More
Zinc concentrate treatment charges (TCs) edged higher in mid-June, with more material from mines in China and elsewhere boosting supplies, while the power cut problems that affected smelters in Yunnan province are seemingly resolved.Terms rise with smelters well-coveredTenders hit solid market prices Mining output rise boosts supplyFastmarkets' zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China rose to $70-85 pe...Read More
With long steel prices in Europe reaching historically high levels, construction activity is slowing in some regions due to reduced supplies and delays, with some market sources fearing a decline in industrial activity long term.Surging pricesLong steel prices in the European Union started increasing in the third quarter of 2020 on a pick-up in consumption and a recovery from the impact of the Cov...Read More
The price of ferro-titanium scrap in the United States has fallen for the first time since August 2020 following a push-back by ferro-titanium manufacturers who are facing weaker US prices for their products, some market sources said.Just over a month ago, scrap prices were reportedly rising by 5-10% week on week amid an extreme shortage related to a decline in aircraft building during the Covid-1...Read More
Metals continue to languish in high ground during morning trading on Monday June 14, with tin being the exception as it continues to push higher on strong fundamentals due to supply disruptions. Broader markets generally upbeat with some, including the S&P 500 Index, near record highs. US 10-year treasury yields have fallen, not on haven buying, but because the market seems more sure that central...Read More
Canada-based Nouveau Monde plans to recycle its active anode graphite flake while developing its sustainable graphite project, company founder Eric Desaulniers has told Fastmarkets.Nouveau Monde has set up a partnership with lithium-ion battery recycling company Lithion Recycling, also based in Canada, to reclaim the graphite that would normally be unusable when battery anode materials are recycle...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday June 14 that are worth another look.Brazilian steelmaker Usiminas will restart its No2 blast furnace (BF) at the Ipatinga mill, in southeastern Minas Gerais state, after almost eight months of downtime, the company said in a filing...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
Activity in the European hot-rolled coil market has slowed significantly, with buyers holding back from making new deals and only a few producers making offers, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday June 14.Buyers have only been buying limited volumes if they have specific restocking needs or if they can secure back-to-back deals, they added.European distributors prefer to wait for the price trend to...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday June 14 that are worth another look.Brazilian steelmaker Usiminas will restart its No2 blast furnace (BF) at the Ipatinga mill, in southeastern Minas Gerais state, after almost eight months of downtime, the company said in a filing...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 steel rebar price in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was largely unchanged over the past week, with market participants believing the price has touched a ceiling and not expecting further rises. Most local producers were still holding back their offers for July, although sources told Fastmarkets they expect a rollover of the latest prices. Tula Steel was heard offering rebar to...Read More
There was little liquidity in the iron ore market on Monday June 14 due to Chinese market participants being away for the Dragonboat Festival. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $220.77 per tonne, up $1.51 per tonne 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $221.62 per tonne, up $0.37 per tonne 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $195.22 per tonne, up $2.44 per tonne 65...Read More