The market for pig iron exports from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was firm during the week ended Thursday July 23, on continued demand in China and resumed interest in Turkey.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for high-manganese pig iron, export, fob main port Black Sea, CIS, was $319-324 per tonne on July 23, widening from $320-323 per tonne a week before.One sale of 60,000 tonn...Read More
Brazilian export prices for steel slab increased in the week ended Friday July 24, because demand was recovering amid tight material availability.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, was $380-390 per tonne on Friday, an increase of $5-10 per tonne from $375-380 per tonne in the previous week.Signs of a demand revival have appeared in...Read More
Offer prices for steel billet imported into Southeast Asia have risen sharply over the past week despite more stable prices for cargoes sold into China, market participants told Fastmarkets on Friday July 24.Chinese steel mills have continued to procure imports of billet over the past week but, unlike the preceding seven days, sales prices have stopped rising and have instead settled into a stable...Read More
World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) fell 7% year on year in June 2020.Global output was 148.30 million tonnes in June 2020 down from 159.54 million tonnes in the same month in 2019.China contributed the most to global crude steel production both in June and in the first six months of 2020, producing a total of 91.58 mill...Read More
World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) fell 7% year on year in June 2020.Global output was 148.30 million tonnes in June 2020 down from 159.54 million tonnes in the same month in 2019.China contributed the most to global crude steel production both in June and in the first six months of 2020, producing a total of 91.58 mill...Read More
The majority of South American import prices for flat-rolled steel went up during the week to Friday July 24 with new offers getting more expensive and lower bids from customers being rejected.Importers, on the other hand, were increasingly looking elsewhere for their steel product needs, because their tentative buying prices were not accepted. Market participants were reporting more deals for Bra...Read More
Brazilian export prices for steel slab increased in the week ended Friday July 24, because demand was recovering amid tight material availability.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, was $380-390 per tonne on Friday, an increase of $5-10 per tonne from $375-380 per tonne in the previous week.Signs of a demand revival have appeared in...Read More
The manganese ore index 37% Mn, cif Tianjin, has soared and slumped since March, with South African supply initially tightening and then ramping back up after restrictions were lifted.Read More
Turkish prices in the domestic market for hot-dipped galvanized coil (HDG) and color-coated coil increased in the week to Friday July 24, supported by higher feedstock prices, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HDG, domestic, exw Turkey, was $610-625 per tonne on July 24, up by $5-15 per tonne over the week from $605-610 per tonne on July 17.And Fastmarket...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Friday July 24, with a continued uptrend in the numbers of Covid-19 cases in the US prompting broad risk-off sentiment across the country's trading hours.Disappointing US manufacturing data added further headwinds.Copper's outright price on the LME was the biggest loser on the day, declining by...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices fell on Friday July 24, following a downturn in the futures market amid growing concerns over escalating tensions between China and the United States. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $109.39 per tonne, down $0.73 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $111.56 per tonne, down $1.24 per tonne. 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices were relatively stable across the board on Friday July 24, with Chinese steel mills that still have import quotas preferring higher-quality material, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indices Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $108.22 per tonne, down $0.80 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $119.39 per tonne, up $0.70 per tonne Hard coki...Read More
Domestic prices for both hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil in Turkey have increased over the week to Friday July 24, supported by higher raw material costs, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HRC, domestic, exw Turkey, was $450-460 per tonne on July 24, up by $10 per tonne week on week from $440-450 per tonne on July 17.The assessment was based on avera...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Friday July 24, with a continued uptrend in the numbers of Covid-19 cases in the US prompting broad risk-off sentiment across the country's trading hours.Disappointing US manufacturing data added further headwinds.Copper's outright price on the LME was the biggest loser on the day, declining by...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Fastmarkets' copper concentrates treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) index shifted higher on Friday July 24 due to shipments from Chile continuing despite concerns over potential coronavirus shutdowns. The benchmark copper concentrate TC/RC index, cif Asia Pacific rebounded from $45.60 per tonne / 4.56 cents per lb last week, the lowest level since Fastmarkets started publishing the index...Read More
European copper producer Aurubis has begun the process to gain the International Copper Alliance's (ICA) Copper Mark at its metal processing facility in Pirdop, Bulgaria, it said on Friday July 24. Aurubis will sign a letter of commitment to the Copper Mark, whereby the plant will agree to subject itself to a six-month criteria self-assessment. Following this, an external assessment will commence...Read More
The Chinese domestic alumina price fell on Thursday July 23 in response to plans to resume idled alumina capacities and due to a contracting aluminium price on the Shanghai Futures Exchange. Market sources told Fastmarkets 2.1 million tonnes of idled alumina capacity will restart at the end of July while another 1 million is expected to resume in August. The decision to restart the capacity was ta...Read More
Rusal's Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter in Russia has completed its transition to a process known as EcoSoderberg as part of the company's modernization and environmental program, the aluminium producer said on Friday July 24. The EcoSoderberg process significantly reduces emissions - particularly for emissions of tarry materials - at its second-largest smelter, which has a nameplate capacity of 1.0...Read More
The nickel sulfate price in China rose by 1.1% week on week on Friday July 24, supported by firm producer offers and limited spot supply. Fastmarkets assessed the nickel sulfate min 21%, max 22.5%, cobalt 10ppm max, exw China price at 23,200-23,500 yuan ($3,306-3,349) per tonne on Friday, up from 23,000-23,2000 yuan per tonne a prior week. Domestic nickel sulfate producers held their offers f...Read More