The London Metal Exchange tin price continued to climb during morning trading on Tuesday January 26, while the rest of the base metals had a more mixed start to the day given a steady US Dollar Index and possible delays to the United States' $1.9 trillion Covid-19 economic stimulus package. Tin's three-month price reached a new year-to-date high of $22,730 per tonne during early trading on Tuesday...Read More
Sellers of hot-rolled coil in China maintained their high offers on Tuesday January 26 despite thin trading, sources told Fastmarkets.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,470-4,490 yuan ($690-693) per tonne, up 20-40 yuan per tonneSeveral Shanghai-based traders said sellers kept their offers at 4,470-4,490 yuan per tonne during the day despite trading activity being weaker than on Monday.They said...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mainly lower this morning, Tuesday January 26, but those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were more mixed. Concerns that the US relief package may be delayed and a warning from a Chinese central bank official of asset bubbles have dampened the mood.Asian-Pacific equities were weaker this morningThe yield on US 10-year treasuries declined, sugges...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 standard grade, in-whs...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...Read More
Copper producer Freeport-McMoRan expects to see its 2021 copper sales reach about 3.8 billion pounds, or 1.7 million tonnes, while it continues its transition to underground mining at Grasberg in Indonesia.This is an increase from 3.2 billion lbs, or 1.4 million tonnes, on 2020 - a year in which the United States-based company faced the suspension of operations at Cerro Verde in Peru due...Read More
ED&F Man Capital Markets' Edward Meir led Fastmarkets' Apex 2020 leaderboard for base metals analysis with an accuracy rate of 96.24%, having led the leaderboard for two quarters during the year. Pezco Economics' team led by Helcio Takeda followed in second place for base metals with an accuracy rating of 95.76%, closely followed by Fastmarkets' research team, which had a close score of 95.74%. Ca...Read More
A summary of Sherritt International's production results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2020, along with its guidance for 2021, released on Monday January 25.In brief Finished nickel production at Sherritt's Moa JV (a joint venture with Cuba's General Nickel Co, with nickel/cobalt operations at Moa in Cuba and at Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta, Canada) over the...Read More
Ball Corp is to build a new aluminium canmaking plant in the Czech Republic to meet rising demand from consumers seeking sustainable and recyclable beverage packaging, the company said.Construction of the facility, which will be located in Pilsen, will begin in the spring of 2021 with operations expected to begin in October 2022. The plant is part of a broader strategy for increased inve...Read More
China's ban on Australian mined copper import and a lingering Peruvian mine disruption have gone against its smelting industry's original ambition to produce more copper, Fastmarkets understands.China has been engaged in an escalating trade row with Australia of late, with Chinese copper smelters and traders verbally ordered to avoid buying Australian copper concentrate in early November 2020. The...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were for the most part weaker while the market waits for direction from the US Federal Reserve when the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) conclude their meeting this evening.Base metalsThree-month base metals prices on the LME were mostly down this morning; the exception was nickel ($18,100 per tonne), that was up by...Read More
Starbucks (SBUX), a Dow Jones Industrial Average stock moved below support at $100.02 after releasing lower than consensus U.S. comps. Sirius (SIRI), a NASDAQ 100 stock moved above $6.70, $6.72, $7.33 and $7.52 to an all-time high extending an intermediate uptrend.Trip.com (TCOM), a NASDAQ 100 stock moved below $31.19 extending an intermediate downtrend. American Express (AXP), a Dow Jones Industr...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday January 25 that are worth another look.The London Metal Exchange will launch its new cash-settled lithium futures contract on June 14, 2021, settled against Fastmarkets' price assessment for lithium hydroxide monohydrate.Liberty Steel Group has completed...Read More
The London Metal Exchange will launch its new cash-settled lithium futures contract on June 14, 2021, settled against Fastmarkets' price assessment for lithium hydroxide monohydrate. The exchange will also add another aluminium cash-settled futures contract to its suite with the launch of a new European duty-paid aluminium premium contract settled against Fastmarkets' benchmark Rotterdam premium....Read More
The Chinese market price of nickel pig iron (NPI) rose in the week to Friday January 22 amid improved spot activity ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday (February 11-17), sources said.Fastmarkets assessed the price of nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China at 1,110-1,140 yuan ($171-176) per nickel unit on Friday, up by 20-40 yuan per nickel unit or 2.7% from 1,090-1,100 y...Read More
Fastmarkets has corrected its manganese ore 44%, cif Tianjin, index, which was published incorrectly on Friday January 22 due to a calculation error.Fastmarkets' weekly index for MB-MNO-0001 - manganese ore, 44% Mn, cif Tianjin, $ per dmtu, should have been $5.02 per dmtu, but was published at $4.91 per dmtu on January 22. It was corrected on January 25.Fastmarkets' pricing database, MInD, has bee...Read More
The Chinese market price of nickel pig iron (NPI) rose in the week to Friday January 22 amid improved spot activity ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday (February 11-17), sources said.Fastmarkets assessed the price of nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China at 1,110-1,140 yuan ($171-176) per nickel unit on Friday, up by 20-40 yuan per nickel unit or 2.7% from 1,090-1,100 y...Read More
Severe logistical hurdles continue to affect the main seaborne shipping routes out of China, with prohibitively high container freight costs persisting and recent land transport issues adding to the congestion and delays at ports.The continuing shortage of container and vessel space at Chinese main ports has not eased off so far in January, with market participants active in minerals and metals tr...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday January 25 that are worth another look.The London Metal Exchange will launch its new cash-settled lithium futures contract on June 14, 2021, settled against Fastmarkets' price assessment for lithium hydroxide monohydrate.Liberty Steel Group has completed...Read More
Delays to material shipments from China and tightening availability in Europe continued to push manganese flake prices to new highs in the week to Friday January 22.Fastmarkets' price assessment for manganese, 99.7% electrolytic manganese flake, in-whs Rotterdam climbed 1.6% to $2,800-2,940 per tonne on Friday January 22, up from $2,750-2,900 per tonne mid-week when prices had moved up to that lev...Read More