Sellers of physical copper are holding out for a higher premium for 2022 contracts in the United States.No major deals were reported by the end of the American Copper Council (ACC) fall meeting in Miami, Florida this past week, although there was talk of a US copper premium in the 10-cents-per-lb range.In the US, Fastmarkets assessed the copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US at 8-9 cents...Read More
Prices for shredded steel scrap imported into Pakistan and India moved down after both markets weakened in the seven days to Friday November 19, sources told Fastmarkets.PakistanFastmarkets calculated its weekly steel scrap, shredded, index, import, cfr Port Qasim, Pakistan at $560.18 per tonne on Friday, compared with $564.21 per tonne a week earlier.Deals were heard at $563-565 per tonne this we...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 Rotterdam,...Read More
Further deals for resale cargoes of 3sp blast furnace (BF) steel billet into the Southeast Asian markets have damped sentiment in the region for new production billet, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday November 19.Several hundred thousand tonnes of diverted cargo, some of which was already on the water and required very prompt shipment, have been offered into Southeast Asian countries in recent w...Read More
The risks that the Chinese government will introduce export duties on steel products will increase if export volumes surge when prices stabilize again after the recent decline, market sources told Fastmarkets over the week to Friday November 19."A sharp rebound in export volumes will draw attention from the central authorities," a Shanghai-based trader said.Fears have emerged that the Chinese gove...Read More
Weaker demand combined with lower offers from all origins, spearheaded by recent Chinese price falls, put further downward pressure on South American flat-rolled steel import prices in the week ended Friday November 19.Despite offers from China continuing to drop - in what was widely considered by market participants to be short-selling from traders - buyers remained hesitant about booking new car...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing sessions in China, Europe and the United States on Friday November 19.China?EUR?Weaker downstream steel demand was the principal driver of the decrease in China's ferro-silicon price. Due to the normal steel purchase off-season, demand for steel was not at a high level. Besides, with the heat supply period beginning in northern China, steel production will be und...Read More
Importers of ferrous scrap were lured back to market in the week ended Friday November 19 by lower prices, which were precipitated by a period of lackluster buying activity.?EUR?Turkish mills' import prices rebounded by the week's end after deals at lower prices?EUR?US sales halted with exporters reluctant to reduce their selling prices?EUR?Vietnamese buyers were actively seeking more material aft...Read More
The risks that the Chinese government will introduce export duties on steel products will increase if export volumes surge when prices stabilize again after the recent decline, market sources told Fastmarkets over the week to Friday November 19."A sharp rebound in export volumes will draw attention from the central authorities," a Shanghai-based trader said.Fears have emerged that the Chinese gove...Read More
The Cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, min 30% Co, cif China, % payable of Fastmarkets' standard-grade cobalt price (low-end) 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 assessed Cobalt hydroxide p...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 18 that are worth another look.Swedish steelmaker SSAB has announced a further two partnerships involving its fossil-fuel-free steel, to commence in 2026, the company said in separate announcements this week.Production of key battery raw materials cobalt...Read More
Slab export prices from Brazil remained stable in the week to Friday November 19, amid an ongoing tug of war between producers and sellers on prices for January-shipment batches.Few volumes are available in the spot market, but uncertainty in most steel markets are leading negotiations to a deadlock.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil was $730-760 per...Read More
An overview of the aerospace materials markets and the latest price moves.Jessica Long, Zihao Li and...Read More
Eastern China's rebar prices increased slightly on Friday November 19 following futures' gains due to heightened market expectations that banks will loosen loans to housing companies.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,670-4,710 yuan ($732-738) per tonne, up by 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing) weekly assessment: 4,440-4,480 yuan per tonne, down by 80-120 yuan per tonneMarket participa...Read More
China's Ministry of Industry & Information Technology (MIIT) is conducting a public consultation on its proposed standards of the lithium-ion battery industry. The proposed standards - released on Thursday November 18 - detail the requirements for battery energy density and specific capacity.In the proposal, the energy density for consumer electronics batteries need to stay above 260 watt hour (Wh...Read More
Aluminium billet premiums were steady across the globe on Friday November 19, remaining close to all-time highs.EuropeEuropean billet premiums are unchanged this week at record highs but liquidity is low, with most buyers covered until the end of the year.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp North Germany (Ruhr region) at $1,450-1,500 per tonne on November 19, unch...Read More
Brazilian apparent steel consumption fell by 5.95% in October, from the same month in 2020, largely influenced by lower domestic shipments of flat steel from mills, according to data published by the steelmakers' association, Instituto A??o Brasil, on Friday November 19.Apparent consumption totaled 1.96 million tonnes during the month, down from 2.09 million tonnes a year before, A??o Brasil said....Read More
An overview of the new energy materials markets and their price moves in the week to Friday November 19.Susan Zou, Yingchi Yang and...Read More
Although sentiment in the US carbon steel plate market has grown less decidedly bullish in recent weeks, the price has held steady at its all-time high - surpassing hot-rolled coil for the first time in more than a year.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel cut-to-length plate carbon grade, fob mill US held at $90 per hundredweight ($1,800 per short ton) on Friday November 19, unchanged for two...Read More
Aluminium billet premiums were steady across the globe on Friday November 19, remaining close to all-time highs.EuropeEuropean billet premiums are unchanged this week at record highs but liquidity is low, with most buyers covered until the end of the year.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp North Germany (Ruhr region) at $1,450-1,500 per tonne on November 19, unch...Read More