(Updates with closing prices) By Peter Hobson LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Copper prices dipped from theprevious session's 7-month high on Wednesday as data showingrecord Chinese production of the metal helped persuade investorsto pause for breath after a rapid rally.Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME)did not trade in closing rings, but was bid down 0.5% at $6,172a tonne after touchi...Read More
All segments of the metals industry - especially aluminium and steel producers that supply the aerospace sector - are likely to be affected by Boeing's decision to suspend production of its grounded 737-Max airplanes in January 2020, an industry expert told Fastmarkets.Metals suppliers who provide materials to airplane parts manufacturers on shorter lead times - within three to six months - will b...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday December 17.Please click...Read More
The nickel price closed down more than 1.6% on the London Metal Exchange on Tuesday December 17, seemingly succumbing to inventory pressure.The three-month price ended at $13,960 per tonne after stocks in LME-listed warehouses rose by another 6,090 tonnes.The contango in the benchmark cash/three-month spread widened to $61 per tonne this afternoon from $41.25 per tonne earlier today and $57 per to...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday December 17 that are worth another look.Import prices for steel slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia were stable during the past week, as suppliers' attempts to achieve higher prices failed despite the recovery in downstream hot-rolled coil prices.Market observers do not expect planned interruptions to power supply in South Afri...Read More
Market observers do not expect planned interruptions to power supply in South Africa by Eskom to affect deliveries from South32's Hillside aluminium smelter, they told Fastmarkets.State power utility Eskom implements load shedding - controlled power blackouts - to reduce pressure on the country's electricity grid when power is severely constrained.Last week it was forced to implement stage 6 load...Read More
Benchmark alumina prices have failed to trade above $300 per tonne since August 2019 and are likely to remain under pressure in 2020 partly because aluminium companies are diversifying along the supply chain, market participants said. There has been a sharp drop in alumina prices in 2019 - Fastmarkets' benchmark alumina index, fob Australia averaged $279.56 per tonne in November, 26.8% lower...Read More
All segments of the metals industry - especially aluminium and steel producers that supply the aerospace sector - are likely to be affected by Boeing's decision to suspend production of its grounded 737-Max airplanes in January 2020, an industry expert told Fastmarkets.Metals suppliers who provide materials to airplane parts manufacturers on shorter lead times - within three to six months - will b...Read More
Turkish steel mills made no fresh deep-sea transactions on Tuesday December 17, with prices remaining stable, market sources said.Mills started the week by booking two Baltic Sea cargoes on Monday for February shipment.A steel mill in northern Turkey booked a Baltic Sea cargo comprising 10,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $299 per tonne cfr, 15,000 tonnes of shredded at $304 per tonne cfr, and 3,5...Read More
Indonesian ferrous scrap buyers are still cautious about purchasing imported cargoes even after state-owned surveyor KSO Sucofindo resumed inspections this week."Some traders are rushing to buy cargoes to supply Indonesian customers again but not all buyers are in the market yet," an industry source in Singapore told Fastmarkets on Tuesday December 17.Negotiations for containerized ferrous scrap i...Read More
Broader markets are generally still upbeat this morning, Tuesday December 17, with equities in Asia following the lead from western markets on Monday, although the metals are for the most part consolidating.The fact the metals are holding on to recent gains is impressive considering Monday's flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) data out across Europe and the United States was generally weak. It...Read More
Fastmarkets' Middle East Iron and Steel 2019 event brought together hundreds of the region's top industry executives for meetings, panels, seminars and more this month in Dubai.Delegates left the conference armed with valuable insight to better navigate the industry waters made turbulent by safeguards and other protectionist policies. Participants heard calls from the Turkish steel industry for a...Read More
Domestic transaction prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe increased on Tuesday December 17, supported by a lack of lower offers as well as solid demand, market sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, ex-works Northern Europe was ?,?436.47 ($486.17) per tonne on Tuesday December 17, up from ?,?431.88 per tonne on Monday.The index was based on deals...Read More
Export prices of hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil from the Commonwealth of Independent States have climbed further because of tight availability and rising local prices at outlet regions, market sources said on Monday December 16.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HRC, export, fob Black Sea was $460-470 per tonne on Monday, up from $425-435 per tonne a week earlier.One sale of Russ...Read More
Fastmarkets' Middle East Iron and Steel 2019 event brought together hundreds of the region's top industry executives for meetings, panels, seminars and more this month in Dubai.Delegates left the conference armed with valuable insight to better navigate the industry waters made turbulent by safeguards and other protectionist policies. Participants heard calls from the Turkish steel industry for a...Read More
Sabic Hadeed expects local steel consumption to increase gradually over the next 10 years thanks to stronger demand from the private sector and not only via government spending or the oil sector, the state-owned Saudi Arabian steel producer said at Fastmarkets' Middle East Iron and Steel conference in Dubai last week.Consumption of steel including rebar, wire rod and flat products, in Saudi Arabia...Read More
Prices for steel billet imported to the United Arab Emirates have increased slightly over the past week amid strong demand, market sources said on Tuesday December 17.Market participants in the UAE expect prices to increase further due to the global rise in production costs and low stock levels in the country.Local rebar producers will announce new prices around December 20 and expectations are fo...Read More
Fastmarkets' Middle East Iron and Steel 2019 event brought together hundreds of the region's top industry executives for meetings, panels, seminars and more this month in Dubai.Delegates left the conference armed with valuable insight to better navigate the industry waters made turbulent by safeguards and other protectionist policies. Participants heard calls from the Turkish steel industry for a...Read More
Turkish steel mills made no fresh deep-sea transactions on Tuesday December 17, with prices remaining stable, market sources said.Mills started the week by booking two Baltic Sea cargoes on Monday for February shipment.A steel mill in northern Turkey booked a Baltic Sea cargo comprising 10,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $299 per tonne cfr, 15,000 tonnes of shredded at $304 per tonne cfr, and 3,5...Read More
Indonesian ferrous scrap buyers are still cautious about purchasing imported cargoes even after state-owned surveyor KSO Sucofindo resumed inspections this week."Some traders are rushing to buy cargoes to supply Indonesian customers again but not all buyers are in the market yet," an industry source in Singapore told Fastmarkets on Tuesday December 17.Negotiations for containerized ferrous scrap i...Read More