World crude steel production increased by 6.6% year on year in November, with China, Germany and Ukraine posting the largest increases.A total of 158.3 million tonnes of crude steel was produced in November by the 64 countries that report their statistics to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel), compared with 147.8 million tonnes in the same month in 2019.China, the world's biggest steelmaking...Read More
China will remove its 2% import tax rate on ferrous scrap and will revive its most-favored-nation (MFN) duty rate system from January 1, according to a notice released by its Ministry of Finance on Wednesday December 23.This will end the policy of restriction on solid waste imports that has been in place since July 1.Steel scrap listed under the HS codes 72042100...Read More
Domestic transaction prices for hot-rolled coil increased substantially across Europe in the week to Wednesday December 23 due to a shortage of material in the market, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe at ?,?665.00 ($811.65) per tonne on Wednesday December 23, unchanged day on day.The index was, however, up by ?,?19...Read More
Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were up across the board this morning, Thursday December 24, while those on the London Metal Exchange were mixed.Metals and broader markets seem to be settling down ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, with dips still being bought, suggesting markets are content to consolidate while many cross currents muddy the waters.Markets seems to b...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 6 points in pre-opening trade.The British Pound moved higher on news that the United Kingdom and Europe are set to announce a Brexit trade deal.Alibaba dropped $8.76 to $247.42 after the Chinese government launched an anti-trust probe on the company. On the charts, the stock moved below $252.55 completing a modified He...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday December 22 that are worth another look.Russia is set to impose early next year a temporary increase to its export duty on ferrous scrap exports to combat the threat of a shortage of steelmaking raw...Read More
Chilean copper producer Codelco signed a new 36-month labor agreement with supervisors and overall management at its Chuquicamata division, the company said on Tuesday December 22.The parties agreed to no pay raises and a 3.6 million Chilean pesos ($4,944) bonus, according to the miner. The new contract will go into effect on April 1, 2021.This followed a series of labor deals signed with no salar...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday December 22.Please click on the thumbnail...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday December 22 that are worth another look.Russia is set to impose early next year a temporary increase to its export duty on ferrous scrap exports to combat the threat of a shortage of steelmaking raw...Read More
Chilean copper producer Codelco signed a new 36-month labor agreement with supervisors and overall management at its Chuquicamata division, the company said on Tuesday December 22.The parties agreed to no pay raises and a 3.6 million Chilean pesos ($4,944) bonus, according to the miner. The new contract will go into effect on April 1, 2021.This followed a series of labor deals signed with no salar...Read More
Shipping problems faced by commodity market participants are likely to get worse ahead of Chinese New Year on February 12, 2021, sources told Fastmarkets.Freight rates for both bulk vessels and containers have soared to record highs in recent months amid a perfect storm of higher global shipping demand and rising crude oil costs.Those involved in the container trade have been particularly hurt, fa...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday December 22 that are worth another look.Russia is set to impose early next year a temporary increase to its export duty on ferrous scrap exports to combat the threat of a shortage of steelmaking raw...Read More
Shipping problems faced by commodity market participants are likely to get worse ahead of Chinese New Year on February 12, 2021, sources told Fastmarkets.Freight rates for both bulk vessels and containers have soared to record highs in recent months amid a perfect storm of higher global shipping demand and rising crude oil costs.Those involved in the container trade have been particularly hurt, fa...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market continued its upward trend with news of a fresh cargo from the Baltic Sea region, sources said on Tuesday December 22.Late on Monday, a steel mill in northern Turkey booked the cargo, comprising 12,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20), 6,000 tonnes of plate & structural scrap (P&S) and 5,000 tonnes of a mixture of busheling and oxy plates at an average price...Read More
Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were down across the board this morning, Tuesday December 22, as were most of the metals on the London Metal Exchange, with the exception of tin. Despite the United States Congress finally passing another Covid-19 recovery package, the metals were under pressure after the emergence of a new variant of the virus takes hold, which could increase th...Read More
Atlas Mining's Carmen mining pit collapsed on Monday December 21 after heavy rainfall in recent months was exacerbated by a typhoon that earlier hit the Philippines' Toledo City, the company said. Carmen Copper Corp (CCC), operator of the mine, confirmed that at around 4.15 pm local time on Monday a landslide occurred at the Carmen Pit, CCC's mine operations site. "The incident was traceable to th...Read More
The price of nickel sulfate in China surged to a fresh 2020 high in the week to Friday December 18, boosted by strong gains in the three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange, market sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets assessed the price of nickel sulfate min 21%, max 22.5%, cobalt 10ppm max, exw China at 29,500-31,000 yuan ($4,503-4,732) per tonne on Friday December 18, up by 2,000-2,5...Read More
The domestic hot-rolled coil price increased day on day in Northern Europe on Tuesday December 22 due to limited supply of the material across the EU.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe at ?,?665.00 ($811.68) per tonne on Tuesday December 22, up by ?,?4.60 per tonne day on day from ?,?660.40 per tonne on Monday.The index was also up by ?,?28....Read More
Flat steel export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States increased further in the week to Monday December 21, but trading activity has slowed down.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $710-720 per tonne on Monday, up from $675-700 per tonne a week earlier.HRC offers from one Russian supplier were heard in Tur...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices continued to rise during morning trading on Tuesday December 22, building upon the 12-year high reached a day earlier, but prices ultimately dipped during the afternoon session amid inactive trading.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,980-5,060 yuan ($760-772) per tonne, up 30-80 yuan per tonneA Shanghai-based trader told Fastmarkets that sellers there asked for arou...Read More