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
China's auto output fell by a third in January in comparison with a year earlier while sales declined by a quarter, according to estimates by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The association, which expects these numbers to worsen in February, said on Thursday February 13 that it had not received data from all the companies it monitors because many of them have yet to return to wo...Read More
Brazilian car production fell by 3.9% on the year in January, according to figures released by Brazil's national auto association Anfavea late last week.The country produced 191,386 vehicles last month, compared with 199,145 units in the same period a year earlier.Last month's output is 12.2% higher than December's 170,501 units, however. ...Read More
China's auto output fell by a third in January in comparison with a year earlier while sales declined by a quarter, according to estimates by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The association, which expects these numbers to worsen in February, said on Thursday February 13 that it had not received data from all the companies it monitors because many of them have yet to return to wo...Read More
Strong demand and bullish negotiations for second-quarter business pushed aluminium billet premiums in Europe higher on Friday February 14, while other global premiums were unchanged. Germany premium at highest since December 2019Weak demand in Thailand Premium remains at all-time low in USBuying interest thin in BrazilQ2 negotiations bullish in EuropeFastmarkets assessed the aluminium 6063 e...Read More
Import prices of flat steel products in South America fell this week amid lower offers from China and strong pressure from buyers.Fastmarkets assessed the price for steel hot-rolled coil, import, cfr main ports South America at $515-560 per tonne on Friday February 14, widening down from $530-560 per tonne a week earlier.Offers of HRC material from China were reported at the lower end of $515 per...Read More
Brazilian domestic flat steel prices increased this month, while producers have already started negotiating a second price increase for March.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil domestic monthly, exw Brazil was 2,470-2,610 Reais ($575-607) per tonne on Friday February 14, up from 2,245-2,425 Reais per tonne on January 3.The assessment for steel cold-rolled coil domestic monthly...Read More
The US primary foundry alloy premium has hit an all-time low, with oversupply in the region the main reason for the downtrend.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium wheel alloy silicon 7 ingot/T-bar premium dlvd dup over P1020A Midwest US at 6-9 cents per lb on Friday February 14, down a penny from the previous all-time low of 7-10 cents per lb set on December 13 and maintained in January's assessment...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
Copper and nickel prices ended the trading week higher on London Metal Exchange on Friday February 14 than a week ago although aluminium and zinc were depressed.The three-month nickel price reached a high of $13,345 per tonne before settling at $13,015 at the close of trading on Friday. It had closed at $12,770 per tonne on February 7.LME nickel stocks remain high at 212,094 tonnes after 2,10...Read More
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 market for pig iron exports from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was stronger than buyers expected during the week ended Thursday February 13 despite low availability, sources have told Fastmarkets."Demand is higher than supply now, so we do not intend to reduce the price any further," one exporter said.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for high-manganese pig iron, export, fob...Read More
Pig iron buyers in the United States have resumed purchasing material but at lower prices amid the weak scrap market, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday February 14.Fastmarkets' price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US, was $334-336 per tonne on Friday, down from $340-345 per tonne cfr a week before.One booking for around 50,000 tonnes of CIS-origin pig iron...Read More
The United States' aluminium scrap turnings price ticked up slightly this past week due to continued interest from exporters, sources said on Thursday February 13.Fastmarkets' assessment of the turnings clean dry high grade buying price, delivered to Midwest secondary smelters, was at 33-36 cents per lb on Thursday, widening upward by 1 cent from 33-35 cents per lb the previous week and ...Read More
Several Chinese major zinc smelters are running at reduced output to prevent the quick build-up of sulfuric acid because a logistics lockdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak has dampened the sales outlook of the zinc smelting by-product. Yuguang Gold & Lead has suspended operations at a 100,000 tonne-per-year zinc production line this week, a producer source with direct knowledge of the matter...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More
Copper and nickel prices ended the trading week higher on London Metal Exchange on Friday February 14 than a week ago although aluminium and zinc were depressed.The three-month nickel price reached a high of $13,345 per tonne before settling at $13,015 at the close of trading on Friday. It had closed at $12,770 per tonne on February 7.LME nickel stocks remain high at 212,094 tonnes after 2,10...Read More
Spot treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for copper concentrates have shot up to a 10-and-a-half-month high with market sellers scrambling to find smelters willing to take cargoes.The Fastmarkets copper concentrates TC index, cif Asia Pacific, which tracks a market mid-point, rose to $65.80 per tonne / 6.58 cents per lb on Friday February 14, up by $9.40 / 0.94 cents week on week and its highe...Read More