China's hot-rolled coil prices plunged on Friday March 5 amid a futures retreat, triggered by a stronger United States dollar amid investor expectations for the US to raise interest rates to ease inflation.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,800-4,830 yuan ($742-747) per tonne, down 150 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan) - weekly assessment: 4,880-4,930 yuan per tonne, up 80-120 yuan per tonn...Read More
Iron ore prices declined on Friday March 5 due to weak iron ore demand amid the strict emissions restrictions and further air pollution control plans in Hebei, , sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $174.11 per tonne, down $3.87 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $174.66 per tonne, down $3.41 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qin...Read More
Fastmarkets examines these questions following Tsingshan's announcement - believed to be a game changer for the nickel market - mainly focusing on the EV demand outlook, raw materials and the implications on exchanged-traded nickel pricing in the future as well as some uncertainties.Nickel matte has suddenly gained a lot of market attention after Chinese stainless steel producer Tsingshan Holding...Read More
The London Metal Exchange copper price led a broad price recovery across the base metals complex in morning trading on Friday March 5. Trading at $8,843 per tonne, the LME three-month copper price was up by 3% against Thursday's 7pm close, but still down 0.72% against the 5pm close, reflecting how metal market prices sold off sharply throughout yesterday following bearish fundamental and macr...Read More
An overview of the aerospace materials markets and their latest price moves.Ewa Manthey and Michael Greenfield in...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Charlotte Radford, Cristina Belda...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.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 assessed Cobalt...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
The Cobalt sulfate 20.5% Co basis, exw China, yuan/tonne 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.Read More
The spot cobalt market was treading water on Thursday March 4 while market sources mulled whether falls in copper, nickel and Chinese cobalt futures prices could spill over to hit benchmark cobalt metal prices, sources told Fastmarkets Fastmarkets' benchmark price assessment for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam stood at $24.75-25.65 per lb on Thursday, unchanged from the previous day b...Read More
Key data from the March 5 pricing session in London.Key drivers Slow inquiries lead sellers to adjust their price expectations during the second half of the week, and the ferro-molybdenum market consolidates around $28.50 per kg. Market sources...Read More
Plunging steel futures and physical prices in China kept buyers away from the import markets on Friday March 5, industry sources told Fastmarkets.Overnight price falls in rebar, hot-rolled coil and iron ore futures have dampened buying interest, with bids at $500-502 per tonne cfr China for imports of HRS101-grade heavy scrap (HS).Offers from sellers were at $510 per tonne cfr China. Key market pa...Read More
Spot prices in the key Vietnamese scrap import market increased in the week to Friday March 5, with key buyers setting eyes on bulk deep-sea HMS 1&2 (80:20) cargoes over Japanese H2 cargoes due to the thin premium the former is commanding. Two transactions for bulk HMS 1&2 (80:20) cargoes were concluded on Thursday at $474 per tonne and $477 per tonne cfr Vietnam. One cargo was from Australia, whi...Read More
Strong demand for containerized ferrous scrap into the key import market of Taiwan has continued to push prices higher, sources told Fastmarkets during the week to Friday March 5.Fastmarkets' daily price assessment for containerized steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), United States material import, cfr main port Taiwan was $433-440 per tonne on Friday, unchanged from Thursday, but up by $8-10 per tonne...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ending Friday March 5. China High-grade seaborne ore prices rose after miners raised their offers for April shipment. Some buyers accepted the elevated offers, while others showed resistance given the current portside prices and persistently high port inventories. Low-grade prices continued upwards aft...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ending Friday March 5. United States Limited availability continued to provide the fuel for price gains this week. Mills are reportedly hard pressed to find uncommitted prompt material amid major domestic production cutbacks and slowed imports. Vessels continue to be difficult to obtain for US s...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday March 4 that are worth another look....Read More
Copper's price dipped to $8,907.50 per tonne while nickel sank by 7.4% at the 5pm close of trading on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday March 4, with sell-offs and corrections seen for a second day.Prices for other materials in the base-metals complex fell by an average of 1.9%."Base metals have backed off from their recent highs over the past week, with the market experiencing some very viole...Read More
Trafigura has confirmed it will hold a 19% stake in the Goro nickel mining and processing complex in the South Province of the French territory of New Caledoniia, 1,200km east of Australia.The announcement by the Swiss trading and mining company comes alongside reports that electric vehicle car maker Tesla will source material from the mine for use in its batteries.Trafigura is part of the Prony R...Read More