The three-month price of zinc on the London Metal Exchange was the standout performer at the close of trading on Wednesday July 29, shrugging off downward pressure from an inflow of 15,050 tonnes of material in the morning, while nickel followed higher in a positive afternoon session for the majority of the base-metals complex.Zinc's outright price on the LME closed at $2,297 per tonne on Wednesda...Read More
Seaborne premium hard coking coal prices were relatively stable on Wednesday July 29 in a quiet seaborne market, with most participants in wait-and-see mode. Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $108.60 per tonne, down $0.66 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $118.88 per tonne, up $0.09 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $89.34 per tonne, up $1 per...Read More
Markets were for the most part consolidating this morning, Wednesday July 29, with base and precious metals prices mixed, albeit with the path of least resistance remaining to the upside.Traders are having to weigh up the continuing spread of the Covid-19 virus across the United States and pockets of second waves in other major economies and some disappointing economic news, against the prospects...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view. We also review our price forecasting accuracy for the second quarter 2020.Q2 2020 price forecast performance review According to the results of Fastmarkets' Apex for the second quarter of 2020 published this week, Fastmarkets' base metals research team was the second most accurate price forecaster for nickel (99.06%), lead...Read More
Exports of standard P1020 aluminium from Canada into the United States in July have declined as demand for value-added products (VAP) resumes and smelters rebalance their production, according to the Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC). This makes the potential reintroduction of Section 232 tariffs by the US government not just unnecessary but also penalizing for North American manufacturers and...Read More
Indian importers have rejected import offers of hot-rolled coil from South Korea at a price of $500-505 per tonne cfr Mumbai, citing low domestic prices, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday July 29.According to an importer, bids for similar material at $478-480 per tonne cfr Mumbai were not accepted by the seller."The cost of South Korea-origin HRC imports for us, even at a price of $500 per tonne cfr...Read More
The three-month price of zinc on the London Metal Exchange was the standout performer at the close of trading on Wednesday July 29, shrugging off downward pressure from an inflow of 15,050 tonnes of material in the morning, while nickel followed higher in a positive afternoon session for the majority of the base-metals complex.Zinc's outright price on the LME closed at $2,297 per tonne on Wednesda...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday July 29.Please click...Read More
Key information from the pricing session for Fastmarkets' alumina index, fob Australia on Wednesday July 29. Key drivers: Deals concluded on Wednesday at $275 per tonne fob Western Australia for 30,000 tonnes with mid-August loading. Prior to this, the deal market had been quiet with no spot business since one deal at $280.50 per tonne fob Australia on July 22. Chinese market participants h...Read More
A major buildup in London Metal Exchange stocks of refined zinc and lead is the main story for both metals this week, with market participants taking warehouse inflows as a sign of supply greatly exceeding demand. Total LME zinc stocks up 54% to 187,475 tonnes on July 29, from 121,050 tonnes on July 20. Total LME lead stocks up 84% over the same time period to 117,600 tonnes. Premiums fl...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view. We also review our price forecasting accuracy for the second quarter 2020.Q2 2020 price forecast performance review According to the results of Fastmarkets' Apex for the second quarter of 2020 published this week, Fastmarkets' base metals research team was the second most accurate price forecaster for nickel (99.06%), lead...Read More
The United States' International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to retain existing countervailing duties on imports of carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod from Brazil and anti-dumping duties on imports of this product from Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova and Trinidad and Tobago, it said on Wednesday July 29. The commission determined that revoking the duty orders "would be likely to lead...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in have increased over the week to Wednesday July 29 in Northern Europe and stood unchanged in the south of Europe, sources told Fastmarkets. Market activity has been gradually declining over the week because the European market is entering the traditionally slow month of August, but the sentiment remains positive. Steelmakers will resume production at higher pr...Read More
The Technical Secretariat of Anti-Dumping (TSAIP) of the Gulf Co-operation Countries (GCC) has announced its preliminary determination in its steel safeguarding case, the World Trade Organization said on July 23.According to the preliminary results, GCC countries decided that the import of steel products under investigation had increased significantly to the region, which was causing serious harm...Read More
Hollow steel sections prices in Europe were flat on Wednesday July 29 with the market experiencing its usual summer slowdown, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?540-560 ($620-642) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.Fastmarkets' weekly steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Southern Europe...Read More
Export prices for steel billet from the Commonwealth of Independent States continued to climb over the week ended Wednesday July 29, with offers from mills being limited by the ending of the month.The CIS export prices gained further support from rising import scrap costs in Turkey.The index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), North Europe origin, cfr Turkey, was calculated at $270.82 per tonne...Read More
European domestic cold-rolled coil prices were fairly stable over the week to Wednesday July 29 due to a seasonal demand slowdown, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, domestic, exw Northern Europe was ?,?490-510 ($575-598) per tonne on Wednesday, compared with ?,?485-510 per tonne a week earlier. The assessment reflects "workable" prices...Read More
Domestic prices for mesh-quality steel wire rod in the south of Europe were broadly unchanged in the week to Wednesday July 29, while in the north of the region producers managed to achieve some upticks, supported by good buying and a lack of competitive import offers, sources told Fastmarkets.Southern EuropeIn the south of Europe, trading activity was slower this week because the market was enter...Read More
Export prices for bulk cargoes of Japanese steel scrap have risen for the third consecutive week amid solid buying interest, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 29.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel scrap H2, export, fob main port Japan, was ?25,000-25,500 ($237-242) per tonne on Wednesday, up by ?500 per tonne from ?24,500-25,000 per tonne last week.Japan-origin H1:H2 (50:50...Read More
Turkish steel mills resumed their deep-sea scrap purchases with prices edging up, sources said on Wednesday July 29.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo, comprising 18,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $273 per tonne and 9,000 tonnes of bonus scrap at $283 per tonne cfr.Another steel mill in the Izmir region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $275 per...Read More