Continued growth in China's automotive sales and output during October has underpinned prices for some key upstream raw materials.China produced a total of 2.55 million vehicles last month, an increase of 11% from a year earlier, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on Wednesday November 11. This marked the seventh consecutive month that both outpu...Read More
A radical shake-up of the European Union's waste shipment regulations could lead to a total ban or the implementation of controls on scrap metal exports from the territory, Fastmarkets understands.The European Commission is reviewing EU rules on waste shipments to encourage more recycling within the EU and is exploring ways to reduce the exports of such materials.EU lawmakers have been m...Read More
Now is not the time for Freeport-McMoRan to be thinking about mergers and acquisitions, the mining company's chief executive officer says.According to Richard Adkerson, the company - which is just over half-way through a mega-project to transform its giant Grasberg copper-gold mine in Indonesia from an open-pit to an underground operation - is on the verge of creating huge shareholder value."I jus...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:?EUR? Flat steel product prices in the United States moved largely in line with our expectations in October, although the increases slightly outpaced our projections. US hot-rolled coil prices averaged $655 per ton in October, exceeding our forecast price of $640 per...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Flat product prices in the US moved largely in line with our expectations in October, posting impressive gains across the product range, and slightly exceeding our forecasts for coil products.Domestic hot-rolled coil prices averaged $722 per tonne in October, exceeding our forecast of $705 per tonne forecast price.Although w...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Approaching the end of the calendar year, steelmakers and consumers enter a busy period of contract negotiations for supply for 2021 or at least the first quarter or half year.With the sharp increases in spot market steel prices during recent months, steelmakers are understandably looking to take advantage and secure higher c...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.US ERW OCTG edges higher, seamless could followRising substrate costs helped support US ERW OCTG prices this month, especially at the upper end of the range of offers. Seamless OCTG and linepipe prices, meanwhile, held firm compared with September prices. The fundamentals remain weak, with rig counts going up...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Prices for most ferro-alloys maintained their upward momentum into October, solidifying previous gains and reflecting the improved demand from steelmakers, the rebuilding of depleted inventories, and the supply-side concerns following both planned and unplanned outages. Gains were noted for ferro-silicon, silicon metal, mang...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloys forecast highlights:Prices across most ore and alloy markets trended higher in September, buoyed by improving demand from steelmakers with the end of the summer holiday season in Europe and the United States, as well as maintained demand from Chinese steel mills. Tightening of alloy inventories...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Iron ore remains the most bullish commodity of the year, with prices fuelled by Chinese demand and supply disruptions in Brazil, along with bullish sentiment. But prices are expected to come down because Brazilian exports have begun to recover, and have reached their highest level since the Brumadinho dam disaster in 2019. W...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.In the iron ore market, supply issues including heavy rains at the start of the year, followed by staffing problems during the Covid-19 pandemic, have affected exports from Brazil. This has helped Australia gain a larger market share, but since June, Brazilian export volumes have returned to levels last seen before the...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Chinese blast furnace (BF) utilization rates have stagnated and iron ore port stock volumes are rising, reaching their highest levels since March, which suggests that iron ore supply is becoming excessive while demand is not growing. Unsurprisingly, prices dropped last week and we expect the trend to continue. The market has...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.While a world leader in many areas, the United States is a relatively small player when it comes to stainless steel. It produces a small amount of material, both in absolute and relative terms (i.e. compared to the size of its population), while a large share of its industry is in the hands of bigger European companies. Never...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Having found it easier to increase prices than their counterparts in Europe and the United States during the past few months, Asian stainless steelmakers now face a number of concerns.In the short term, Asian prices have moved down in recent weeks while those in Europe and the US are on the up. This is mostly a reflection of...Read More
Aluminium primary foundry alloy (PFA) premiums in Europe rose to near pre-Covid-19 levels on Friday November 13 due to strengthening demand, while the premium in the United States held at the previous monthly assessment range in quiet conditions.European premiums up on demand recoveryPFA premiums continued to move higher, with demand in the region remaining strong due to fears of Covid-19-related...Read More
Aluminium billet premiums in Europe rose during the week to Friday November 13, with strong spot demand and low nearby supply driving premiums higher. Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp North Germany (Ruhr region) at $300-340 per tonne on Friday, up by $10 on the high end from $300-330 per tonne the week before. Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of the aluminium 606...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RC) fell in the second week of November while smelters in need of tonnes took to the market for nearby cargoes, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday November 13.Copper TC/RCs have ticked down after the range for spot terms between traders and smelters narrowed. As a result, Fastmarkets' copper concentrates TC index, cif Asia Pacific came in at $4...Read More
An overview of the new energy raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Susan Zou, Sally Zhang, Carrie Shi, Jon Stibbs, Cristina Belda,...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RC) fell in the second week of November while smelters in need of tonnes took to the market for nearby cargoes, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday November 13.Copper TC/RCs have ticked down after the range for spot terms between traders and smelters narrowed. As a result, Fastmarkets' copper concentrates TC index, cif Asia Pacific came in at $4...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ending Friday November 13. China The spot ferro-silicon market held steady for a ninth consecutive week with spot cargoes mostly traded at the upper end of the range. Positive market sentiment remained, with participants expecting prices to strengthen amid supply tightness and a bullish futures market.The most-tr...Read More