Seaborne iron ore prices were rangebound on Friday February 14, while there were more transaction for low-grade iron ore fines at Chinese ports. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $88.67 per tonne, up $0.11 per tonne. 62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $88 per tonne, up $0.11 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $89.79 per tonne, up $0.05 per tonne. 58% Fe f...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices moved up on Friday February 14, defying the pessimism in the market resulting from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $155.43 per tonne, up $3.14 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $161.28 per tonne, up $0.55 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $127.01 per tonne, unchangedHard...Read More
The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was lower during morning trading on Friday February 14, with positive price action stymied by a fresh inflow of some 2,475 tonnes, while ongoing drawdowns in aluminium failed to bolster its falling price.Zinc's outright price on the LME was recently seen at $2,150 per tonne, down by just under 1% from Thursday's closing price of $2,175 per to...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices continued to fall on Friday February 14 on low demand, though participants in the export market are holding out for a rebound once the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak comes under control.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,460-3,480 yuan ($496-499) per tonne, down 30-40 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,230 yuan per tonne, down 40 yuan per to...Read More
Deliverable stocks for all base metals except tin and nickel in Shanghai Futures Exchange-approved warehouses soared in the week to Friday February 14 because downstream operations have not fully resumed after the Lunar New Year holiday due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China.Copper registered the biggest inflow of 56,484 tonnes or 27.4%, taking total SHFE-approved stocks...Read More
The LME Week Asia 2020 seminar has been postponed and the LME Asia Dinner has been canceled, due to the coronavirus outbreak, the London Metal Exchange said on Friday February 14. "Against the backdrop of the novel coronavirus, HKEX Group has made the difficult decision to cancel the LME Asia Dinner and postpone the LME Asia Seminar," the exchange said in a notice to members. "This decision has be...Read More
With no let-up in the number of coronavirus (2019-nCov) infections in China, the market is this morning, Friday February 14, waiting for signs that the virus is being contained. In the meantime, it seems as though equities are riding high on the back of China monetary stimulus measures, while the metals markets are more aware that the disruption to production and demand will have a mixed impact co...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons behind the latest price moves.Read More
An overview of the Chinese minor metals markets and the reasons for the latest price moves.Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ending Friday February 14.Europe The high-carbon ferro-chome market rose for the fourth consecutive week with some producers reporting a steady recovery in the volume of inquiries they received and prices achieved. Some consumers reported that their use of the spot market was limited, however, because weak demand...Read More
The price of stainless steel flat products in the European domestic market decreased this week because of lower nickel costs and poor demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday February 14. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment of stainless steel cold-rolled sheet, 2mm, grade 304 transaction domestic, delivered North Europe was ?,?2,000-2,050 ($2,172-2,226) per tonne on Friday, down by ?,?50 per to...Read More
The price of grade-316 stainless steel scrap in the UK and Europe moved higher this week with support from demand from Indian buyers, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday February 14. Fastmarkets' price assessment for stainless steel scrap 316 solids, domestic, delivered merchants UK, increased by ?40-50 per tonne to ?1,200-1,230 ($1,560-1,599) per tonne from ?1,150-1,190 per...Read More
Low prices for Japanese ferrous scrap sparked interest among buyers in Vietnam and Taiwan this week, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday February 14.VietnamFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for deep-sea bulk cargoes of steel scrap HMS 1&2 (80:20), cfr Vietnam was $260-265 per tonne cfr on Friday February 14, down by $4-7 per tonne from $267-269 per tonne cfr a week earlier.Prices decreased over...Read More
Demand for aluminium and steel coil in China has come under strain while the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) crisis has allowed the gears of the country's automotive sector to grind to a halt.Many manufacturing plants across China - including those in the automotive segment - have paused operations in the past two weeks to February 12 after the government extended workers' Lunar New Year holiday to...Read More
The three-month price for lead on the London Metal Exchange was higher at the close of trading on Thursday February 13, nearing the $1,900 per tonne resistance level on a 1.7% uptick, while a positive close for LME copper saw it also approach nearby resistance.Lead's underlying price on the LME closed at $1,892 per tonne, climbing from an intraday low of $1,844.50 per tonne, while turnover was mod...Read More
The alumina index, fob Australia remained just above $280 per tonne so far this week amid quiet trading conditions. Fastmarkets calculated the daily benchmark at $281.69 per tonne on Thursday February 13, little changed from $281.61 per tonne the previous day. The index has hovered around $281 per tonne since February 7 and remains close to its highest level since November 7, when it was at $...Read More
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has not affected China Hongqiao Group's aluminium production, which is operating at its full running capacity of 5.86 million tonnes in Shandong province, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets."Our aluminium production was not impacted by the novel coronavirus. Now we are running at almost 5.86 million tonnes of aluminium and this is our full operating capacity in...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday February 13 that are worth another look.The China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) is seeking the Chinese transport ministry's help to solve logistical problems experienced by steelmakers in recent weeks, especially those affecting the delivery of raw materials, market sources told Fastmarkets.The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) h...Read More
The alumina index, fob Australia remained just above $280 per tonne so far this week amid quiet trading conditions. Fastmarkets calculated the daily benchmark at $281.69 per tonne on Thursday February 13, little changed from $281.61 per tonne the previous day. The index has hovered around $281 per tonne since February 7 and remains close to its highest level since November 7, when it was at $...Read More
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has not affected China Hongqiao Group's aluminium production, which is operating at its full running capacity of 5.86 million tonnes in Shandong province, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets."Our aluminium production was not impacted by the novel coronavirus. Now we are running at almost 5.86 million tonnes of aluminium and this is our full operating capacity in...Read More