Flat-rolled steel sales from Brazilian distributors are forecast to decrease by 45% to 145,900 tonnes in April from 265,300 tonnes the previous month due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, national flat steel distributors association Inda said on Thursday April 23.If confirmed, the level will also represent a drop of 45.2% from 266,000 tonnes in April 2019.Steel distributors have be...Read More
Demand for imported steel billet and domestic rebar in Egypt was soft in the week ended Thursday April 23 and was unlikely to improve in the short term because of the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, sources have told Fastmarkets.No new billet deals have been heard since April 12, when the Egyptian ministry of trade postponed the reduction of the duty i...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices were largely stable on Thursday April 23 despite falling futures. Some exporters have become more optimistic about overseas prospects amid reports of an easing of a lockdown in Vietnam to contain the Covid-19 virus.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,300-3,320 yuan ($466-469) per tonne, narrowing upward by 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,240 yu...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices moved up slightly on Thursday April 23, supported by falling stocks in the spot market. Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,440-3,470 yuan ($487-471) per tonne, up 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,430-3,470 yuan per tonne, widened upward by 10 yuan per tonneRebar prices rose slightly due to reduced inventories. A trader in eastern China...Read More
The range of offers for rebar and wire rod exports from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region has widened so far in the second half of April.Rebar offers from the CIS have varied widely, but have stayed within the range of $380-410 per tonne fob Black Sea.Some mills are keeping their offers on the lower side to attract customers, while others - mainly from Russia,...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, hot-dipped galvanized coil, pre-painted galvanized iron, steel plate, steel sheet and other flat steel products.Latest transaction: hot-rolled coilHot-rolled coilEast China, domestic, commercial-grade...Read More
A summary of Swedish state-owned iron-ore producer LKAB's financial results for the first quarter of 2020. In brief The company attributed increased profit for the quarter to both high production and deliveries, despite a challenging market conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The impact of the Covid-19...Read More
Germany-based steel scrap recycling group ELG Haniel has appointed Volker Pawlitzki to the posts of chief executive officer and chief commercial officer of its stainless steel division for Europe, the Middle East and Asia (EMEA).ELG Haniel recycles and distributes raw materials, stainless steel scrap, special alloys and primary materials to the stainless steel industry.Pawlitzki announced...Read More
Prices for deep-sea bulk cargoes of ferrous scrap in Bangladesh have stayed largely flat over the past week amid a continued standoff between mills and suppliers, sources said on Thursday April 23.More stability in the Turkish import scrap market, a plunge in the price of crude oil and the continuation of Covid-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions in Bangladesh were three reasons highlighted by marke...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.The recent decline in Chinese scrap prices - to their lowest in a couple of years - even as demand rises, suggests that Chinese scrap supply is increasingly sufficient. In terms of scrap demand, the question is more about price attractiveness. Mini-mills were reducing demand in February, largely because steel margins on scra...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices fell across the board on Thursday April 23, with steel mills outside of China grappling with poor downstream conditions and turning to metallurgical coal sellers as a result, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $120.36 per tonne, down $3.66 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $129.23 per tonne, down $6.47 per tonneHard coking...Read More
The price for high-grade seaborne iron ore from Brazil moved up on Thursday April 23, with market participants attributing the rise to persistently strong portside prices for such material, and improving but still constrained supply.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $84.46 per tonne, down by $0.58 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $86 per tonne, down by $0.66 pe...Read More
The three-month tin price on the London Metal Exchange was the standout performer during morning trading on Thursday March 23, clearing resistance at $15,100 per tonne, while steady buying in nickel futures over the morning also pushed its price higher. Tin's outright price on the LME was recently at $15,190 per tonne, an incline of more than 2% from Wednesday's closing price of $14,860 per tonne....Read More
Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange are firmer this morning, Thursday April 23, but the price pullbacks in recent days have questioned the robustness of the earlier rebounds. Oil futures' dip into negative territory raised concerns, especially in financial markets, because it meant there was no longer a finite amount of risk in holding the commodity....Read More
United States Antimony Corp (USAC), a producer of antimony metal and antimony trioxide, has announced a net loss in 2019 of $3.6 million in an earnings call with investors to review its financial performance over the year.In brief USAC reported a net loss of $3.6 million in 2019, compared with net income of $873,225 in the 2018 financial year. The weak performance was attributed to a drop in sales...Read More
China's domestic and export prices for stainless steel moved up amid rising raw material costs.Rising nickel futures on the London Metal Exchange led to an increase in the prices for nickel pig iron, a major raw material for producing stainless steel in China, sources said. The three-month nickel contract on the London Metal Exchange ended the official trading session on Monday at $12,334 per tonn...Read More
China's Zhejiang Yongjin Metal Technology plans to build a stainless steel cold-rolling strip mill to supplement its production facilities, the company said earlier this week.Location: Lanxi city, Zhejiang provinceCapacity: 125,000...Read More
China's aluminium alloy ADC12 export price to Japan rebounded on Wednesday April 22 after six straight weeks of decline, with producers citing tightening scrap feedstock supply. Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium ingot ADC 12 spot (MJP), cfr Japan price at $1,390-1,400 per tonne on Wednesday, up from $1,370-1,380 per tonne a week earlier. The price had been steadily falling since mid-February...Read More
Base metals prices were mixed this morning, Friday April 24, after markets had to absorb weak flash purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data on Thursday, especially in the services sector where readings were 11.7 in the European Union and 27 in the United States, while manufacturing readings were also weak. Broader markets were for the most part weaker this morning with losses seen in Asian-Paci...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 21 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to news that the House of Representatives passed a bill to support workers during the coronavirus pandemic.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of March Durable Goods Orders at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus was a drop of 11.9% versus a gain of 1.2% in...Read More