The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices have fared relatively well over the past couple of months in the face of the threat from the Covid-19 pandemic.In grade-304 material, the most common grade of stainless steel, prices were down by about 5-7% since the turn of the year - not bad, when compared with the falls in prices of other assets so f...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Having first hit Asia during early 2020, the Covid-19 viral outbreak is now having an even bigger impact on European countries and the US. Widespread lockdown measures have been put in place on people and industry, and economic activity has slowed markedly.For now, stainless steel markets in Europe and the US are yet to show...Read More
The new issue of the Seamless OCTG & Linepipe Market Tracker is now online at metalbulletinresearch.com.In this edition, Fastmarkets' research team delivers analysis of seamless OCTG and linepipe across international markets:Covid-19 underscores pipe outlookUnsurprisingly, the concern in the seamless pipe markets across the regions is the effect of the spread of Covid-19 on public health and econo...Read More
Despite fears of second waves of the Covid-19 virus, base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were generally holding up well this morning, Monday June 22. But while prices are holding up well, they do seem to have lost upward momentum.* Asian-Pacific equity and pre-market major western equity index futures were mainly weaker this morning.* Gold prices gapped higher this morning, suggesting...Read More
U. S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 26 points in pre-opening trade. Sherwin Williams added $0.33 to $585.00 after the company raised its second quarter sales outlook.Gap Stores gained $0.57 to $11.23 after Wells Fargo upgraded its recommendation on the stock from Underweight to Overweight. Target was increased from $8.00 to $19.KLA Tencor slipped $1.10...Read More
Brazilian miner Vale and Japan-based Sumitomo Metal Mining Co have agreed to sell 20% of their joint stake in nickel producer PT Vale Indonesia to state-owned Inalum, a necessary step to renew its operating license past 2025, Vale said on Friday June 19.Vale will sell 14.9% of its shares in the Indonesian company, owned through the subsidiary Vale Canada Ltd, and Sumitomo will divest its 5.1% stak...Read More
The Attorney General of Switzerland has begun criminal investigations into Glencore's business practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the company said on Friday June 19.Baar, Switzerland-headquartered Glencore said it had been informed today that the investigation had commenced due to "failure to have the organizational measures in place to prevent alleged corruption," it said."G...Read More
German diecaster DGH Group has begun insolvency proceedings, sources close to the matter told Fastmarkets on Friday June 19.Fastmarkets understands that the insolvency action pertains to three group companies - DGH Heidenau, DGH Hof and DGH ZIT - with appointed insolvency administrator Franz-Ludwig Danko currently considering potential restructuring options.The company, headquartered in Donha, Ger...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
The Attorney General of Switzerland has begun criminal investigations into Glencore's business practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the company said on Friday June 19.Baar, Switzerland-headquartered Glencore said it had been informed today that the investigation had commenced due to "failure to have the organizational measures in place to prevent alleged corruption," it said."G...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday June 19. China The UG2 chrome ore trading activity dipped during the week, with participants waiting for the release of July ferro-chrome tender prices to gauge market direction,...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday June 19. China Seaborne manganese ore prices continued to slide amid weakening sentiment. Portside ore prices climbed in response to mounting buying appetite from alloy smelters at the start of the session,...Read More
Spot payables for cobalt intermediates held steady week on week, although buying interest has thinned compared with the beginning of June and May's restocking. Fastmarkets' cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, min 30% Co, cif China was assessed at 65-66.5%of the standard-grade metal price (low-end) on FridayJune 19, unchanged since June 5.The spot market has been less busy since the start of J...Read More
The Attorney General of Switzerland has begun criminal investigations into Glencore's business practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the company said on Friday June 19.Baar, Switzerland-headquartered Glencore said it had been informed today that the investigation had commenced due to "failure to have the organizational measures in place to prevent alleged corruption," it said."G...Read More
There was a noticeable dip in trading in the Turkish deep-sea markets in the week ending Friday June 19 although prices remained firm. Slower buying activity was also noted on the Taiwan, Vietnam and Indian markets amid the possibility of lower prices. The US market was the expectation to this. Purchases begin to slow on Turkish marketUS export market reports deals from West and East coastVi...Read More
German diecaster DGH Group has begun insolvency proceedings, sources close to the matter told Fastmarkets on Friday June 19.Fastmarkets understands that the insolvency action pertains to three group companies - DGH Heidenau, DGH Hof and DGH ZIT - with appointed insolvency administrator Franz-Ludwig Danko currently considering potential restructuring options.The company, headquartered in Donha, Ger...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to stay away from the deep-sea scrap market at the end of the week in anticipation of a downturn in prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday June 19.Steelmakers in the country have been quiet most of the week, having booked only two deep-sea cargoes on Monday, with most of the market participants believing that prices have reached a peak.On Monday...Read More
Markets were mixed again this morning, Friday June 19, while participants wait to see if second waves of Covid-19 are going to derail the V-shaped recovery in asset markets.Needless to say the V-shaped recoveries in prices seem to be ignoring the current depressed state of demand and the forecasts for 2020. Asian-Pacific equity markets were mainly firmer this morning, while pre-market major wester...Read More
Nornickel has completed the first phase of cleaning a massive oil spill in its key mining division, an incident it recently told investors signaled no immediate danger to its mines."We have collected more than 90% of the spilt fuel and 70% of contaminated soil, thus winding up the first stage of the long-term plan to eliminate the consequences of the HPP-3 incident," Sergey Dyachenko, first vice p...Read More
Spot payables for cobalt intermediates held steady week on week, although buying interest has thinned compared with the beginning of June and May's restocking. Fastmarkets' cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, min 30% Co, cif China was assessed at 65-66.5%of the standard-grade metal price (low-end) on FridayJune 19, unchanged since June 5.The spot market has been less busy since the start of J...Read More