Southeast Asian zinc premiums increased in the week to Tuesday January 28, with improved demand boosting spot activity, while dip-buying in the region's lead market failed to move premiums. The European and United States' zinc and lead markets remained flat. US zinc and lead premiums hold with slump in London Metal Exchange lead, while zinc futures fail to incite spot consumptionThe LME lead price...Read More
Upside potential in the London Metal Exchange three-month aluminium price was capped during morning trading on Wednesday January 29, dampened by a significant 26,525-tonne fresh inflow of material into LME-approved sheds in Port Klang, Malaysia.This was tempered by a 12,600-tonne outflow at the same time, 12,450 tonnes of which left Asian warehouses, and a further 17,825-tonne fresh cancelation in...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday January 29.Key drivers The price range for ferro-titanium has widened over the past week with slower trading activity resulting in lower-priced deals done in Europe, while UK trading was done at around the top end of the range. The move marked the first change in the alloy price range since December 18, although the scrap markets ha...Read More
Due to the enforced extension of China's Lunar New Year holidays, Fastmarkets will roll over the following minor metals, ores and alloys price assessments on Friday January 31.MB-BI-0002 - Bismuth 99.99% Bi min, in-whs China, yuan/tonneMB-CO-0001 - Cobalt 99.8% Co min, ex-works China, yuan/tonneMB-CO-0017 - Cobalt sulfate 20.5% Co basis, exw China, yuan/tonneMB-CO-0012 - Cobalt tetroxide 72.6% Co...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 21 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic reports at 8:30 AM EST. Consensus for first estimate of fourth quarter was growth at a 2.1% annual rate, unchanged from the third quarter. Actual was 2.1%. Consensus for Weekly Jobless Claims was 215,000 versus upwardl...Read More
Aluminium premiums in Europe continued to buck the general trend in the week ended Tuesday January 28, rising further while premiums in Asia and the United States were static.Rotterdam duty-unpaid premium climbs to highest since August US Midwest premium holds at 23-month low Domestic Brazil premium edges higher Asia premiums static due to lunar new year holiday. Tight availability fuels European...Read More
The London Metal Exchange three-month nickel price hit a seven-month low at $12,550 per tonne on Tuesday January 28, precipitated by risk-off selling while the uncertainty in Asian markets mounts due to China's growing coronavirus epidemic. "All eyes have been on the underlying nickel price with the market hitting a seven-month low on the coronavirus outbreak. Funds have shifted into risk-off mode...Read More
Chilean copper content in mine production is estimated to reach 7.04 million tonnes in 2030, rising by 19.7% from 5.88 million tonnes expected in 2019, the country's copper commission Cochilco announced.Cochilco used the current project pipeline in the country as a basis for calculating production trends, it said on Monday January 27. In a bullish scenario, output could hit 8.08 million tonne...Read More
Chilean copper content in mine production is estimated to reach 7.04 million tonnes in 2030, rising by 19.7% from 5.88 million tonnes expected in 2019, the country's copper commission Cochilco announced.Cochilco used the current project pipeline in the country as a basis for calculating production trends, it said on Monday January 27. In a bullish scenario, output could hit 8.08 million tonne...Read More
Glencore have appointed Mike Westerman to the position of acting head of copper assets following the departure of Mike Ciricillo.Westerman accepts the role after having been chief operating officer of Glencore's Australian copper assets for several...Read More
Mexican steel scrap prices changed little in the week ended Friday January 24, with market participants waiting to see a clearer definition of the international price trend.Until the previous week, Mexican prices had shown consecutive price rises, but this was interrupted by a shift in the global trend for the raw material.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of the steel scrap No1 heavy melt consumer b...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import markets have remained quiet since yesterday, with both sellers and buyers holding back from the markets, sources said on Tuesday January 28.The mills in Turkey have booked only two deep-sea cargoes in the past two weeks because of the sluggish rebar and billet markets in the country.Late on January 22, a steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a UK cargo compri...Read More
Flat steel export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) were stable in the week ending Monday January 27, although the direction prices might take remains unclear because of the opposing moods of suppliers and buyers.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil (HRC), export, fob Black Sea was $475-490 per tonne on Monday January 27, unchanged we...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe increased day on day on Tuesday January 28 due to a combination of good order books at EU mills and uncompetitive import offers, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, ex-works Northern Europe, was ?,?466.56 ($514.29) per tonne on January 28, up by ?,?5.31 per tonne day on day from ?,?461.25 per tonn...Read More
Some flat steel import prices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia decreased this week on lower offers and bids, but demand was weak because buyers wanted to see which direction the market would take after the Chinese new year holiday, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday January 28.The lunar new year break started on January 25, and was expected to end on January 30. But the outbreak of a...Read More
The United States' steel imports declined by nearly 18% in December compared with the same month in 2018 but rose by 0.5% sequentially.Steel mill product imports totaled 1,409,279 tonnes in the final month of last year, according to preliminary data updated on Monday January 27 by the US Commerce Department's Enforcement and Compliance division. That's down from 1,717,818 tonnes in Dece...Read More
Domestic and import prices for steel rebar in the United Arab Emirates changed over the past week, while demand was moderate because buyers wanted to wait for the direction of prices after China returns from the Lunar New Year holiday, market sources said on Tuesday January 28.The Chinese New Year holiday break began on January 25 and will end on February 2 after the Chinese government ordered an...Read More
Due to the enforced extension of China's Lunar New Year holidays, Fastmarkets will not be publishing the following daily and weekly steel prices on Friday January 31. Steel hot-rolled coil index export, fob main port China, $/tonneSteel hot-rolled coil domestic, ex-whs Eastern China, yuan/tonneSteel cold-rolled coil domestic, delivered Eastern China domestic, yuan/tonneSteel plate domestic, delive...Read More
Mexican steel scrap prices changed little in the week ended Friday January 24, with market participants waiting to see a clearer definition of the international price trend.Until the previous week, Mexican prices had shown consecutive price rises, but this was interrupted by a shift in the global trend for the raw material.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of the steel scrap No1 heavy melt consumer b...Read More