Copper scrap flows in the United States have begun strengthening due to an increase in the Comex copper price and a seasonal uptick in scrap production during the summer months, but this modest increase in supply has not yet eased copper scrap discounts.The most active July-delivery Comex copper contract settled at $2.4875 per lb on Wednesday June 3, up by 4.4% from $2.382 per lb one week earlier....Read More
Japanese suppliers of H2 heavy scrap are experiencing difficulty in sourcing for supply, which has led to a rise in export prices for a second week, market sources told Fastmarkets.Low supply has resulted in dockside scrap prices climbing again over the past week, which push up export offers and exert pressure on domestic steelmakers' margins since they are also struggling to obtain material."The...Read More
The metals were mixed again this morning, Friday June 5, but Asian-Pacific equities were mainly stronger, as were pre-market major western equity index futures. * The unemployment rate in the United States is expected to climb to 19.4%.* Equities have followed history by focusing on governments’ monetary/fiscal actions...* ...but can money alone right the impact of the virus, or can only a va...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 46 points in pre-opening trade. The NASDAQ Composite Index is expected to open above its previous all-time high at 9,638.37 set in March.Index futures moved strongly higher following release of the May U.S. employment report at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus for May Non-farm Payrolls was a drop of 8.0 million versus a drop of...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 3 that are worth another look.Mills in India and Pakistan have returned to the market for bulk scrap and have booked cargoes from the United States over the past few days, sources told Fastmarkets on June 3.Primary aluminium stocks at the three main Japanese ports (MJP) of Osaka, Nagoya and Yokohama rose by 4% mont...Read More
The closure of the arbitrage window between London and Shanghai prompted a drop in Chinese zinc premiums in the week to Tuesday June 2, while broad stagnancy in European and US demand kept premiums firm, although some market participants anticipate that demand could further weaken in the coming months. Cif Shanghai premium dipped as demand diminished in line with arbitrage window's close Sout...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday June 3.Please click...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 3 that are worth another look.Mills in India and Pakistan have returned to the market for bulk scrap and have booked cargoes from the United States over the past few days, sources told Fastmarkets on June 3.Primary aluminium stocks at the three main Japanese ports (MJP) of Osaka, Nagoya and Yokohama rose by 4% mont...Read More
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 has hit the Antofagasta region of Northern Chile, which is home to a cluster of major copper mines, Fastmarkets understands.The US Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred in the early morning local time on Wednesday June 3, with the epicentre of the quake reportedly in the southwest of San Pedro de Atacama. Major copper mines close to the epicentre incl...Read More
Key data from the pricing session in London on Wednesday June 3.Key drivers: Standard-grade cobalt prices drifted further on the low-end of the quote, on continuing good availability, despite the suspension of production at Ambatovy. Offers were being revised to the low side, and sellers opened to bids, in light of thin demand refently, and uncertain...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for their latest price moves.Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 3 that are worth another look.Mills in India and Pakistan have returned to the market for bulk scrap and have booked cargoes from the United States over the past few days, sources told Fastmarkets on June 3.Primary aluminium stocks at the three main Japanese ports (MJP) of Osaka, Nagoya and Yokohama rose by 4% mont...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued to book more deep-sea scrap cargoes at steady prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 3.A steel mill in the Izmir region booked a US cargo, comprising shredded scrap at $259.50 per tonne and plate & structural scrap (P&S) at $264.50 per tonne cfr late on Tuesday June 2. The cargo's composition and volumes were not clear at the time of publicat...Read More
Fastmarkets is launching a two-month consultation on the launch of new copper material price and the potential discontinuation of its monthly assessment of the No2 copper scrap discount on a cif China basis.Under a new categorization policy being introduced in China, most No2 scrap could be traded as renewable copper materials starting from July 2020. Background to the consultationA...Read More
Key data from the June 3 pricing session in London and Shanghai.Key drivers: - Cobalt hydroxide payables were steady in the first half of the week - fresh inquiries were relatively fewer than in late May, but buyers are still finalizing their latest round of spot top-ups. So far, suppliers have refused to compromise and accept lower bids. - Suppliers indicate they are holding their offers firm for...Read More
Key data from the pricing session in London on Wednesday June 3.Key drivers: Standard-grade cobalt prices drifted further on the low-end of the quote, on continuing good availability, despite the suspension of production at Ambatovy. Offers were being revised to the low side, and sellers opened to bids, in light of thin demand refently, and uncertain...Read More
The cobalt alloy 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 transparency into the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies. Fastmarkets assessed...Read More
Demand for flat steel products in Turkey was moderate in May because of low stocks in the country and the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 3.Turkish flat steel producers were fully booked until late July and have started to accept orders for August production.Steel trading was limited in May because of various curfew orders and national holida...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe have inched down over the past week due to a lack of buying activity, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 3.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was calculated at ?,?402.00 ($448.48) per tonne on Wednesday, down by ?,?1.00 per tonne from ?,?403.00 per tonne on Tuesday.Wednesday's index was calculated bas...Read More
Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil have moved down over the past week in Northern Europe due to poor trading activity in the region, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 3.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?490-500 ($547-558) per tonne on June 3, down by ?,?10 per tonne week on week from ?,?500-510 per tonne ex-works.The a...Read More