Bullish sentiment continued to drive trading on the London Metal Exchange on Friday February 19, with copper, nickel and tin rising again to new highs, even as potential headwinds start to emerge for the base metals complex. Copper's three-month price extended to $8,737 per tonne on Friday morning, its highest in nine years. By 9am, it was at $8,720 per tonne, 1.95% higher than its Thursday closin...Read More
China's hot-rolled prices declined on Friday February 19 amid low trading activity after rallying a day earlier following a weeklong public holiday for the Chinese New Year.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,680-4,720 yuan ($723-730) per tonne, down 30-60 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan) - weekly assessment: 4,660-4,680 yuan per tonne, up 330 yuan per tonneWhile some sellers issued offers...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 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 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 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.....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.Fastmarkets...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing sessions in Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday February 19.Europe The market edged slightly upward, with around four truckloads purchased at ?,?1,310 ($1,581) per tonne and some sources reporting that cheaper material was no longer available....Read More
European plate and structural (P&S) scrap is emerging as a possible source of imported ferrous scrap for Chinese mills at competitive prices to Japanese heavy scrap (HS) materials, Fastmarkets heard.A 10,000-tonne P&S cargo from Europe was heard sold to a major eastern China steel mill at $460-470 per tonne cfr China this week, although the rumored buyer did not confirm this. P&S is the name given...Read More
Taiwanese importers of containerized ferrous scrap have had to pay more for their supplies after a swift rebound in Asian scrap prices following the Lunar New Year holidays in the region.Fastmarkets' daily price assessment for containerized steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), US material import, cfr main port Taiwan was $410-415 per tonne on Friday February 19, an increase of $10-20 from Thursday's pric...Read More
China's domestic lithium carbonate price increased by 4.4% over the week to Thursday February 18 supported by tight supply in the spot market, while the Asian seaborne lithium hydroxide market moved up for the first time in five months influenced by China's price upturn.China's domestic battery-grade lithium carbonate market continued its uptrend supported by spot material shortage, although buyin...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday February 18 that are worth another look.Italian steel distributors' association Assofermet has sent a letter to the European Commission highlighting distortion in the European Union carbon and stainless flat steel market caused by anti-dumping and safeguard measures.Low-carbon aluminium will be part...Read More
The London Metal Exchange three-month nickel price rose to a seven-year high during trading on Thursday February 18, with positive macroeconomic sentiment and the return of Asian trading acting as catalysts for base metals prices. Nickel's three-month price reached $19,205 per tonne during Thursday, the first time it had touched above $19,000 per tonne since September 2014. It closed slightly low...Read More
Mitsui Bussan Commodities (MBC) has launched a new regulated subsidiary in Paris, France, to ensure continuity of service for clients after Brexit, it said on Thursday February 18. The subsidiary is called Mitsui Bussan Commodities (France) SA (MBCF) and will aim to expand the company's pan-European capability now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union. The energy team are already pro...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday February 18 that are worth another look.Italian steel distributors' association Assofermet has sent a letter to the European Commission highlighting distortion in the European Union carbon and stainless flat steel market caused by anti-dumping and safeguard measures.Low-carbon aluminium will be part...Read More
Manganese ore miners and traders have been surprised by an accelerating rise in freight rates that is eroding their margins, amid increased demand for vessels and competition for freight space from other commodities.Freight rates have been rising steadily since December but have risen by at least 20% in the past week, according to the latest freight quotes heard by Fastmarkets.In the week to Febru...Read More
The ferro-chrome market in Europe continued to strengthen over the week to Tuesday February 16 due to tight global supply, resulting in consumers looking for material and needing to accept higher offer prices.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome, high carbon, 6-8.5% C, basis 65-70% Cr, max 1.5% Si, delivered Europe rose by $0.02-0.06 per lb (3.4%) to $1.12-1.28 per lb Cr on Tuesday, from...Read More
With negotiations for the annual zinc concentrate treatment charge (TC) under way for 2021, miners and smelters are debating how much to lower the TC after a year of tightening supply.Fastmarkets understands that initial miner offers were close to spot levels of $100 per tonne, while smelters staked their first bids near last year's settlement price of $299.75 per tonne.The 2020 annual benchmark z...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday February 18 that are worth another look.Italian steel distributors' association Assofermet has sent a letter to the European Commission highlighting distortion in the European Union carbon and stainless flat steel market caused by anti-dumping and safeguard measures.Low-carbon aluminium will be part...Read More
The price of alloy-grade cobalt metal remained steady day-on-day on Thursday February 18, while the price of standard-grade cobalt moved higher, drawing the two price assessments back into parity, amid thin trading and with Chinese buyers still absent from the market.Fastmarkets' price assessment for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, was $22.95-23.75 per lb on February 18, up from $22.90-23...Read More