If ever there was a masterclass in the need to disaster-proof a supply chain, then the Covid-19 pandemic has provided a harsh reminder to the automotive sector that it's failing. It's a wake-up call for the industry, which, after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in March 2011, had vowed to end its "just in time" production philosophy and diversify its supply chain in orderto limit a repe...Read More
The sharp decline in emerging market currencies combined with a collapse in oil prices are providing a twin saving grace for many metals and mining companies during the Covid-19 pandemic. For producers of energy-intensive metals like aluminium, and in particular the low-cost ones, the benefit is even greater. It's an emerging trend that is starting to be reflected in the earnings of corporates in...Read More
The Covid-19 pandemic may well provide Freeport-McMoRan with a silver lining it had never expected. The US copper producer is discussing with the government of Indonesia what should be done with the planned smelter in the Gresik region in the province of East Java. It has been forced to delay the completion timeline of December 2023 for the plant, due both to Covid-19-related disruptions to the wo...Read More
Concerns about Brazilian iron ore supply resurfaced among market participants this past week due to expectations that exports of the product would be impeded by Covid-19-related lockdowns in the South American country and the rising number of infections.Sao Luis was the first major Brazilian city to enter lockdown this week. It is located in the country's northeastern state of...Read More
The seaborne iron ore market witnessed large price increases on Friday May 8 amid high prices in swap contracts and a general upturn seen on commodities such as rebar and copper. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $88.60 per tonne, up $4.25 per tonne 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.92 per tonne, up $4.68 per tonne 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingd...Read More
Seaborne prices for premium hard coking coal rebounded on Friday May 8, which was partly attributed to active trading in China amid a wider rally in the commodities market during the day.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $110.43 per tonne, up $2.80 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $116.27 per tonne, up $1.25 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $88.66 per tonn...Read More
Trading activity in China's domestic hot-rolled coil market thinned as prices strengthened on Friday May 8, while the country's demand for imports appeared to have led to higher offers for Indian HRC.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,380-3,390 yuan ($477-478) per tonne, up 10-40 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,340 yuan per tonne, unchangedA Shanghai-based trader said sellers kept thei...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Aluminium: 'Sell the rally' mentality here to stayAlthough the London Metal Exchange aluminium price has managed to recover modestly from recent lows, we suspect this is mostly short-covering. The lack of producer restraint, growing exchange inventories, a weak demand outlook and the 7 million tonnes of oversupply forecast f...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Aluminium: 4-million-tonne surplus for 2020We have made further downward revisions to our aluminium demand expectations for 2020 and, although there have been smelter capacity reduction in China too, the net effect is that our forecast for the global surplus this year has swelled to 4 million tonnes, from 2.7 million tonnes...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Average LME aluminium price down by 2.5% week on weekAlthough LME aluminium began this week on the rebound, prices extended their recent downtrend further last week, approaching the $1,400-per-tonne level. The weekly average LME aluminium cash price was down 2.5% last week to $1,432.50 per tonne from previous week's $1,469.6...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Aluminium: OversoldAluminium has been the hardest hit base metal over the past week, after relentless selling pressure took it to fresh multiyear lows while its LME peers generally consolidate or try to rebound. Aluminium is seeing far less in the way of supply restraint or disruptions than the other metals. But this market...Read More
Global markets are contracting in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the prices for flat steel products continue to retreat, with prices for coated steels down by a further 5% since late March in most of the markets that Fastmarkets tracks.The latest edition of Fastmarkets' Galvanized Steel and Tinplate Market Tracker, for April 2020, is now available to view.Further price falls are almost cer...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Despite these unprecedented times, US sheet prices moved in line with our expectations over the past month. While we maintain our view on the direction of pricing during 2020 and the length of the pricing downturn, as the Covid-19 crisis deepens we have increased the magnitude of the price declines through the second quarter...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.As oil price stumbles, outlook for welded markets weakensIn February, oil prices, already hit by the economic slowdown in Asia, turned lower on the failure of OPEC+ to reach an agreement on production cuts. This was enough to shake oil markets, but the collapse of global demand due to the pandemic has driven Brent below $30/...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday May 7 that are worth another look.The European Commission (EC) might start an anti-dumping case into imports of hot-rolled coil originating from Turkey, market sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 7.Mining companies are looking to trading houses and specialist funds for credit since lower metal prices and enforced shutdowns ha...Read More
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a US commodities regulator, is analyzing what led the crude oil price to move into negative territory last month, including an assessment of market participant activities and whether position limits and other regulations might need to change.The move could add impetus to the CFTC's proposal to impose federal position limits in 25 energy, metals and...Read More
The mining industry is set to undergo a paradigm shift in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic that will include a reshaping of corporates, including through "dynamic" mergers and acquisitions, the chief executive officer of Barrick Gold Corporation said.Mark Bristow, whose Africa-focused miner Randgold Resources merged with Canada-based gold and copper giant Barrick last year, said it was a gre...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday May 7 that are worth another look.The European Commission (EC) might start an anti-dumping case into imports of hot-rolled coil originating from Turkey, market sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 7.Mining companies are looking to trading houses and specialist funds for credit since lower metal prices and enforced shutdowns ha...Read More
Mining companies are looking to trading houses and specialist funds for credit since lower metal prices and enforced shutdowns have restricted cashflow. Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Ecuador, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa are among major mining nations to order mine closures as part of countrywide lockdowns designed to protect against the spread of the Covid-19 disease. Cashflow-limit...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday May 7 that are worth another look.The European Commission (EC) might start an anti-dumping case into imports of hot-rolled coil originating from Turkey, market sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 7.Mining companies are looking to trading houses and specialist funds for credit since lower metal prices and enforced shutdowns ha...Read More