Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were for the most part stronger this morning, Friday April 16, supported by robust economic data, while the base metals on the London Metal Exchange were consolidating after yesterday's strength, which followed strong US data. China's gross domestic product (GDP) climbed by 18.3% year on year in Q1US treasury yields dropped, lifting gold and equi...Read More
The spodumene import price in China has been skyrocketing since the beginning of 2021 following a pickup in customer inquiries and tight availability of the raw material since Altura Mining's assets were taken off the market.Spodumene mined from Western Australia is a feedstock material used in the production of lithium chemicals that go into batteries for electric vehicles. Most of the spodumene...Read More
A summary of Australian lithium miner Orocobre's results for the first quarter of 2021, released on Wednesday April 14.In brief Sales of lithium carbonate salts from the Olaroz facility in Argentina totalled 3,032 tonnes in January-March 2021, with an average...Read More
Concerns over South American producers' capacity to meet demand expectations for 2021 aggravated the lingering tight availability of battery-grade lithium compounds in the Asian seaborne market in the week to Thursday April 15.Buyers in the seaborne Asian lithium carbonate market reported increasing difficulty securing feedstock amid tight supply. The battery-grade lithium hydroxide price in China...Read More
Brazil was a net importer of finished steel during the first quarter of 2021 for the first time since 2014 amid a domestic supply-demand imbalance, according to data from the economy ministry.The country purchased 49,976 tonnes of steel more thanit exported. The figure takes into account unalloyed, non-special steel - hot- and cold-rolled coil, galvanized and Galvalume, and heavy plate, as we...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil continued to rise in Europe on Friday April 16 due to a shortage of material amid continuing strong demand, sources told Fastmrkets.Thursday's announcement of yet another offer price increase by ArcelorMittal gave additional support to the uptrend.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?926.25...Read More
Fastmarkets' Ferrous Analytics report helps subscribers keep track of hot metal costs and steel production spreads in China, along with key pricing components of the steelmaking raw materials supply chain in Asia. Read More
Brazil was a net importer of finished steel during the first quarter of 2021 for the first time since 2014 amid a domestic supply-demand imbalance, according to data from the economy ministry.The country purchased 49,976 tonnes of steel more thanit exported. The figure takes into account unalloyed, non-special steel - hot- and cold-rolled coil, galvanized and Galvalume, and heavy plate, as we...Read More
Wire rod prices in Poland increased in the latest transactions, moving closer to official offer levels, driven by healthy demand and limited availability, Fastmarkets heard on Friday April 16.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (drawing quality), domestic, delivered Poland was 3,100-3,150 zloty ($815-828) per tonne on Friday, narrowing upward by 50 zloty from 3,050-3,...Read More
Steelmakers in Poland have tried to increase steel rebar prices for May bookings despite buyers' resistance, Fastmarkets heard on Friday April 16.Buying activity in Poland's rebar market slowed down this week on a mismatch between offers and bids, market sources said.Local rebar producers were attempting to increase their selling prices but buyers were taking a wait-and-see stance."The problem is...Read More
Pig iron export prices from Brazil rose again during the week to Friday April 16 following further sales. Fastmarkets' price assessment for pig iron, export, fob port of Vitoria/Rio, Brazil was $540 per tonne on Friday, up by 3.35% from $520-525 per tonne the...Read More
The pig iron import market in the United States went up during the week ended Friday April 16 amid good demand and bullishness among suppliers.Fastmarkets' price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US, was $570-580 per tonne on Friday, up by $10 per tonne from $560-570 per tonne the previous week."There is demand in the US. Buyers...Read More
Domestic ferrous scrap prices in Germany have been largely unchanged over the month to Friday April 16, sources have told Fastmarkets.New scrap was an exception, with prices for such grades increasing slightly due to tight supply from the automotive sector.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for steel scrap No E3 (old thick steel scrap), domestic, delivered mill, Germany, was unchanged over the...Read More
Brazil was a net importer of finished steel during the first quarter of 2021 for the first time since 2014 amid a domestic supply-demand imbalance, according to data from the economy ministry.The country purchased 49,976 tonnes of steel more thanit exported. The figure takes into account unalloyed, non-special steel - hot- and cold-rolled coil, galvanized and Galvalume, and heavy plate, as we...Read More
Billet producers in the Commonwealth of Independent States selling material from the Black Sea basin continued to look for support outside nearer markets because buying activity there was limited by unfavorable market conditions. "Turkish customers practically give no bids," one trading source said, adding that softening scrap prices led to the negative sentiment in Turkish market. Fastmarkets' da...Read More
Fastmarkets' Ferrous Analytics report helps subscribers keep track of hot metal costs and steel production spreads in China, along with key pricing components of the steelmaking raw materials supply chain in Asia. Read More
Sales of passenger cars in the EU rocketed by 87.30% year-on-year in March 2021, the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Friday April 16.New car sales in the region totalled 1,062,446 vehicles in March 2021, up from 567,253 units sold in the corresponding month of 2020.The increase was "the result of last year's exceptionally low base of comparison caused by the strict Cov...Read More
Brazil was a net importer of finished steel during the first quarter of 2021 for the first time since 2014 amid a domestic supply-demand imbalance, according to data from the economy ministry.The country purchased 49,976 tonnes of steel more thanit exported. The figure takes into account unalloyed, non-special steel - hot- and cold-rolled coil, galvanized and Galvalume, and heavy plate, as we...Read More
China's crude steel, hot metal and finished steel production all rose sharply year on year in March and the first quarter of 2021, according to data released by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday April 16.March productionCrude steel: 94.02 million tonnes, up by 19.1% from March 2020Hot metal: 74.75 million tonnes, up by 8.9% year on yearFinished steel: 119.87 million tonnes, up by 20.9%...Read More
Trade unions at Liberty's Czech-based Ostrava plant have announced a strike alert amid allegations that the plant's emissions allowances will be lent to another Liberty-owned steel mill, Fastmarkets heard.Earlier this week, the OS KOVO trade union warned of a readiness to strike at Liberty's Ostrava plant amid market concerns about the parent company's financial sustainability.Liberty Steel has be...Read More