Weak demand has pushed the domestic price for rebar in Egypt down by as much as $16 per tonne over the week ended Thursday February 13, even though the import price for steel billet has increased, sources have told Fastmarkets.Some Egyptian rebar producers lowered their prices on February 10, when billet costs were falling with the help of a strong Egyptian pound.Domestic producers were offering r...Read More
The United States imported less ferrous scrap in 2019 amid plentiful supply of competitively priced domestic material, while imports of pig iron - which was expensive compared with No1 busheling - dropped as well.Raw material imports fell by 13.4% for the year to 9,628,184 tonnes from 11,120,193 tonnes in the full year 2018. For the month of December, however, overall imports increased by 12....Read More
Ferrous scrap exports from the United States fell in December but finished 2019 stronger than the prior year, according to US Census Bureau data.December shipmentsHigher ferrous scrap deliveries to Canada and Turkey in December were not enough to offset steep declines elsewhere, such as Bangladesh, versus the prior month. US exports of the product totaled 1,356,144 tonnes during the mont...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were rangebound on Thursday February 13 amid higher steel inventories and weak demand.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $88.56 per tonne, up $0.88 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.89 per tonne, up $0.88 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $89.74 per tonne, up $0.81 per tonne.58% Fe fines high-premium, c...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices were steady on Thursday February 13 amid thin trading.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $152.29 per tonne, unchangedPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $160.73 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $127.01 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $142.60 per tonne, unchangedAustralian miner South32 said during the day that i...Read More
Brazil-based miner Vale has lowered its iron ore fines production guidance for the first quarter of 2020 after its operations were adversely affected by heavy rain, the company said on Tuesday February 11.Vale said it was expecting to produce 63-68 million tonnes of iron ore fines in the January-March period, down by 5 million tonnes from an earlier estimate of 68-73 million tonnes.The miner suffe...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil remained under pressure on Thursday February 13 amid low economic activity downstream, though major mills maintained their export offers at relatively high levels.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,500-3,510 yuan ($502-504) per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,270 yuan per tonne, unchangedSellers in Shanghai were asking for 3,500-3,510 yua...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices dropped slightly on Thursday February 13 on persistently weak demand while the export segment tumbled after cargoes were sold much lower than prevailing rates. Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,370-3,400 yuan ($483-488) per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,420-3,450 yuan per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneMost construction projects are delaying t...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
Cobalt sulfate and tetroxide prices in China continue to be underpinned by tight supply and resumed demand after the Lunar New Year holiday, but mid-term demand is still in check due to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak. Fastmarkets' assessment for cobalt sulfate 20.5% Co basis, exw China rose to 53,000-55,000 yuan ($7,589-7,876) per tonne on Wednesday February 12, up 2.9% from 52,00...Read More
A spike in the reported death toll from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) in China led to a pullback in risk asset prices in early trading this morning, Thursday February 13, but the spike is not all what it seems.The sudden jump in the number of new cases reported was due to a change in how the infection is being reported, rather than a sudden jump in people actually being infected. The latest da...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday February 12 pricing session in Shanghai and London. Key drivers Tight spot supply pushes cobalt hydroxide payables up again, now at their highest since the end of October 2019.Customers pay a premium for nearby, prompt material in preference to that coming from Africa, where logistical bottlenecks have also slowed down shipments. ...Read More
China's exports of ammonium paratungstate (APT) in 2019 plunged year on year due to weakened overseas demand and reduced domestic output. Around 3,161 tonnes of APT left China in 2019, down 36.8% from 5,001 tonnes in 2018, according to official but unconfirmed data seen by Fastmarkets. The drop in export volumes in 2019 can be attributed mainly to decreased demand from Europe, which is usually the...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 6 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of January Retail Sales at 8:30 AM EST. Consensus was an increase of 0.3% versus a gain of 0.3% in December. Actual was a gain of 0.3%. Excluding auto sales, consensus for January Retail Sales was an increase of 0.3% versus a gain o...Read More
The three-month price of copper on the London Metal Exchange edged higher at the close of trading on Wednesday February 12, staying firmly above the $5,700 per tonne support level despite low turnover, while nickel similarly held above nearby support.Copper's outright price on the LME closed at $5,764 per tonne on Wednesday afternoon, falling from an intraday high of $5,783 per tonne but topping T...Read More
Contango has returned to the price of tin, but the spot markets have remained quiet on muted demand and uncertainty about the implications of the outbreak in China of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).London Metal Exchange tin price still down from earlier in the year, with coronavirus spreading.Tin imports to China largely halted; premiums flat in Taiwan, too.United States sees modest spot trade over...Read More
Nickel premiums in all regions held steady in the week to Tuesday February 11. European nickel premiums hold in illiquid spot market. The US nickel briquette premium could rise further, though it was flat this week. China nickel premiums were unchanged amid spot illiquidity on a closed arbitrage import window. Rotterdam nickel premiums stabilize in illiquid spot market Premiums for a...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday February 12 that are worth another look.China may not be the big steady steel rebar buyer that most of us in the market thought it was, the International Rebar Producers & Exporters Association (Irepas) said on February 5 with regards the impact of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).Major Chinese copper smelter Daye Nonferrous,...Read More
Major Chinese copper smelter Daye Nonferrous, at the heart of the region affected by the coronavirus outbreak, is managing to continue its copper production activities by destocking the sulfuric acid byproduct at a discount, Fastmarkets has learnt."We have no plans to declare force majeure so far," a source with direct knowledge of the matter said. "We are still receiving overseas shipments of cop...Read More
China's alumina price is on an upward trend after many alumina refineries reduced production following transportation difficulties since the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak restricted their coal and bauxite supply, several sources told Fastmarkets on Monday February 10.Despite a bullish sentiment in the market, some alumina analysts think the uptrend may not last long because China still has a lot of a...Read More