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
Domestic demand for rebar in China weakened further on Tuesday November 9, causing prices to narrow downward. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,900-4,940 yuan ($766-773) per tonne, narrowing downward by 40 yuan per tonneMany traders lowered their rebar offers on losses in the futures market with the exception of a few, who maintained theirs.But both approaches failed to generate interest among...Read More
Base metal futures prices were largely down across the London Metal Exchange complex at the 5pm close of trading on Tuesday November 9, despite gains made on Monday.Prices reversed across the board on the LME, initially trending higher before eventually scaling back by the close.The US Dollar Index rose throughout the day, supporting this price move. It was up to 94.05 by 5pm, from 93.96 at 9am.Th...Read More
Prices for steel rebar and billet imports into the United Arab Emirates increased during the week ended Tuesday November 9, although offer prices for billet were higher than the rebar deal prices because of a shortage of the semi-finished material, sources have told Fastmarkets.The reason for the high billet price, compared with rebar, was that most billet producers in Oman have sold large quantit...Read More
Carbon offsets and trading are an effective and quick way to contend with a future global ecosystem of green taxes, or the "green taxonomy," a sustainability consultancy said"Companies need to realize that states are very actively preparing tax and duties plans to favor green products, and this will result in new barriers to entry," carbon specialist and Keops Consulting founder Milena L??pez told...Read More
Seaborne coking coal cfr prices declined sharply on Tuesday, with a lower offer price emerging and previously stranded Australian coal becoming available to Chinese end users.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $562.62 per tonne, down by $26.32 per tonneHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $505.02 per tonne, down by $12.63 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $4...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were down across the board on Tuesday November 9, but those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mainly firmer while they followed the strength seen on the LME on Monday, when the complex closed up by an average of 1.2%.While some of China's data shows a struggling economy, recovery and infrastructure spending elsewhere bode well for metals demand.W...Read More
Brazil's automotive production dropped by 24.8% year on year in October amid a global microchip shortage and a stoppage of truckers in the Port of Santos, S??o Paulo.Light vehicle production totaled 177,900 units last month, compared with 236,500 units a year earlier.Anfavea, the national association of motor vehicle manufacturers, said that production was affected by suspensions among carmakers b...Read More
US-based aluminium producer Alcoa announced on Tuesday November 9 its adoption of a three-stage "technology roadmap" intended to assist in the decarbonization of upstream aluminium supply and to help achieve the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.The roadmap has three key elements. These are the decarbonization of the alumina refining process, new processes to enhance the use of post-cons...Read More
The recent downward correction in aluminium prices and premiums was expected after a strong uptrend in 2021, but tighter supply from China is set to continue supporting high prices, Brazilian aluminium producer Companhia Brasileira do Alum?-nio (CBA) said on Tuesday November 9.Chinese aluminium output cuts, meant to reduce carbon emissions, deepened a global supply deficit in the third quarter. Es...Read More
Alumina export volumes from Brazil increased by 84.73% in October 2021 compared with the corresponding month in 2020, with both the Alunorte and Alumar refineries shipping more material, according to data published by the coutnry's ministry of economy on Monday November 8.Brazilian alumina exports totaled 901,012 tonnes in October, a significant rise from 487,742 tonnes a year before.Cargoes shipp...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices fell on Tuesday November 9 amid weak demand for steel in northern China (due to the colder weather) and rising inventories at Chinese ports, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $92.30 per tonne, down $1.52 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $93.46 per tonne, down $1.09 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qi...Read More
China will ban the creation of additional capacity for some energy-intensive industries - including for steel, coke, alumina and aluminium - in a bid to control pollution, the state council said in a guideline issued on Sunday November 7.The guideline did not specify the areas to be subject to the ban or the date that the measures will take effect.This comes alongside the statement that the supply...Read More
Mexican ferrous scrap prices were little changed in the week ended Friday November 5, with buyers passing on minor price adjustments to certain grades.Scrap sellers were putting strong pressure on clients, trying to apply price increases after the United States market reached settlements for November with increases of $20 per gross ton in prime scrap grades, and $40-60 per gross ton on most obsole...Read More
Prices for hot-rolled coil in the United States weakened after market participants said lead times are narrowing and service centers are not as hungry for inventory this month.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $93.17 per hundredweight ($1,863.40 per short ton) on Tuesday November 9, a decrease of 1% from $94.11 per cwt on Monday and down by 0.7% from $93...Read More
Base metal futures prices were largely down across the London Metal Exchange complex at the 5pm close of trading on Tuesday November 9, despite gains made on Monday.Prices reversed across the board on the LME, initially trending higher before eventually scaling back by the close.The US Dollar Index rose throughout the day, supporting this price move. It was up to 94.05 by 5pm, from 93.96 at 9am.Th...Read More
(Updates prices) By Eric Onstad LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Copper prices retreated on Tuesdayon concerns that a deepening debt crisis in China's propertysector will curb demand. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange(LME) slipped 0.9% to $9,556 a tonne by 1700 GMT, reversingdirection after a 1.3% gain on Monday. "China is the big unknown right now. The trade data was onthe positive si...Read More
The publication of Fastmarkets' monthly blister copper refining charge for October was delayed due to a reporter error. Fastmarkets' pricing database has since been updated with the following price, originally scheduled to be published on last working day of October. Fasstmarkets' price assessment for opper blister 98-99% RC spot, cif China was $150-170 per tonne on Friday October 29 and as u...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday November 8 that are worth another look.The United States is looking carefully at steel projects in Southeast Asia in which China has invested, after US trade representative Katherine Tai said that she supported updating US trade laws to combat the circumvention of...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday November 8 that are worth another look.The United States is looking carefully at steel projects in Southeast Asia in which China has invested, after US trade representative Katherine Tai said that she supported updating US trade laws to combat the circumvention of...Read More