Heavy rain and a price decrease for raw materials deprived China's domestic rebar market of any upward momentum this week. Rebar prices stopped falling on Friday September 18 on rising futures, which kept it at the same level as a week earlier.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,680-3,700 yuan ($545-548) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing) weekly assessment: 3,620-3,640 yuan per tonne, do...Read More
This time yesterday base metals prices were down across the board, but with the exception of Shanghai Futures Exchange tin, they were all up during morning trading on Friday September 18 - showing sentiment remains bullish overall with dips being bought.This suggests prospects for increased demand for metals from infrastructure projects is driving sentiment and the market is not so concerned by th...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.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 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...Read More
An overview of the Chinese minor metals markets and the reasons for their latest price moves.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 transparency into the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies. Read More
First Solar Japan and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp (Toshiba ESS) have agreed to construct two mega solar projects in eastern Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, Toshiba ESS said in a release on Wednesday September 16.The two plants, with an integrated capacity of nearly 60 megawatts (MW), will start operating in April 2023 and will use First Solar's photovoltaic modules.The electricity will be...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 17 that are worth another look.China's domestic stainless steel prices experienced a larger rate of decrease over the week ended Wednesday September 16 on dropping demand, although nickel prices remained strong....Read More
The three-month price of nickel on the London Metal Exchange was slightly higher at the close of trading on Thursday September 17, gathering momentum above the $15,000-per-tonne threshold despite continued selling pressure over the day.Meanwhile, a steady uptick in LME copper futures came at the cost of tighter forward spreads.Nickel's outright price on the LME closed at $15,084 per tonne on Thurs...Read More
A summary of Australian-Chinese miner MMG's production results for the first half year ended June 30, 2020, as well as its full-year production guidance. In brief MMG's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) was $383.6 million in the first half this year, a drop of 41% from the corresponding period in 2019 due to lower commodity prices and sales volumes resul...Read More
The European high- and low-carbon ferro-chrome markets strengthened on Tuesday September 15 due to a slow recovery in demand.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for ferro-chrome high carbon 6-8.5% C, basis 60-70% Cr, max 1.5% Si, delivered Europe, was $0.85-0.97 per lb Cr on Tuesday, tightening from $0.83-0.98 per lb a week earlier."The capacity of users' production lines has been slowly coming b...Read More
Tungsten concentrate and ammonium paratungstate (APT) prices in China were stable on Wednesday September 16 after increased availability of both products in the market prevented prices from extending last week's gains.At the same time, the slowly recovering APT export market has turned quiet once more, with China-based sources reporting fewer inquiries from overseas buyers.Fastmarkets' weekly pric...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 17 that are worth another look.China's domestic stainless steel prices experienced a larger rate of decrease over the week ended Wednesday September 16 on dropping demand, although nickel prices remained strong....Read More
China's State Reserve Bureau (SRB) is likely to use a floating price to settle its latest round of cobalt metal stockpiling, according to a market source close to the matter. The SRB sent invitations to a handful of cobalt metal producers in China for a tender on Wednesday September 9; the tender was completed during the morning of Thursday September 17, according to a market source.No concre...Read More
The Turkish steel mills have extended their absence from the deep-sea scrap markets amid weak finished long steel demand in their local market, sources said on Thursday September 17.The country's steelmakers booked seven deep-sea scrap cargoes, totalling around 230,000 tonnes, in the first half of last week before retreating from the market on September 10.The most recent transactions...Read More
The weakness in metals and equities this morning, Thursday September 17, indicates markets were taking the US Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) projections and comments that they will likely keep interest rates on hold through at least 2023 as suggesting there will continue to be tough times ahead in the real economy.Does this highlight the start of a reality check where markets start to focu...Read More
China's State Reserve Bureau (SRB) is likely to use a floating price to settle its latest round of cobalt metal stockpiling, according to a market source close to the matter. The SRB sent invitations to a handful of cobalt metal producers in China for a tender on Wednesday September 9; the tender was completed during the morning of Thursday September 17, according to a market source.No concre...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 17 that are worth another look.China's domestic stainless steel prices experienced a larger rate of decrease over the week ended Wednesday September 16 on dropping demand, although nickel prices remained strong....Read More
Sales of passenger cars in Europe slumped again in August after brief signs of a revival in July, according to the latest data from the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA).In July, there were signs of a pick-up in demand with only a relatively small overall decline of 5.66% year on year following six consecutive months of double-digit decline.In August, however, the tren...Read More