Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 29 that are worth another look....Read More
China is stepping up measures to ensure there is enough electricity supply for heavy industries amid ongoing power restrictions in various parts of the country.The National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) will look into allowing more thermal coal imports and higher domestic production of the raw material to increase electricity generation rates, a spokesman for the commission said at a pres...Read More
London Metal Exchange prices were largely unchanged on the morning of Thursday September 30, with tin and aluminium the standout performers for the month. A strong US Dollar Index, which was at its highest level since September 2020 on Wednesday at 94.43 and just slightly lower on Thursday morning, has been one of the factors keeping metal prices steady. "And increased uncertainty in China ab...Read More
Production halts in China, the world's largest producer of silicon and magnesium, saw prices for the chemical elements surge in the week to Wednesday September 29, with ripples felt across the aluminium industry, where elements such as silicon can comprise up to 13% of alloy production. Power supply problems in many of China's key industrial and manufacturing hubs have intensified while the nation...Read More
Base metals prices were mostly slightly up on the LME but weaker on the SHFE this morning, Thursday September 30, but overall the markets seem to be consolidating while they await big-picture developments.China's power rationing weighs on the official manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI)The Thursday economic agenda is busyUS dollar rallying stronglyBase metalsAfter price weakness on Wedne...Read More
Australia-based mining company South32 have announced that they have exercised their pre-emptive rights to acquire an additional 25% shareholding in Mozal Aluminium from MCA Metals Holding GmbH (Mitsubishi) in a public notice released on Thursday September 30.Mozal Aluminium, a primary aluminium smelter located in Mozambique, is currently joint owned by South32 (47.1%), Mitsubishi (25%), the IDC (...Read More
Domestic steel reinforcing bar prices in the United States were stable in the week to September 30, with some market participants saying that upward price momentum has come to an end."I think we have hit the wall," an East Coast distributor source said. "Jobs have been canceled or delayed, inventories are not being replenished to previous levels, and just having the bar does not get you the order...Read More
The European market for steel hot-rolled coil remained quiet on Thursday September 30, with buyers continuing to hold back from trading in expectation of more substantial price declines amid slower end-user demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers in Europe have been waiting for the new quota period to begin on October 1before assessing the "real volumes that will enter the market," they said."The...Read More
Copper consumption will increase in line with surging demand for decarbonization as part of the energy transition, but a combination of factors will eventually see this trend reverse, according to analysis by G&H Metals & Mining Consultancy. The copper-focused consultancy, a collaboration between Plusmining and Simon Hunt Strategic Services (SHSS), told Fastmarkets that the annual growth in copper...Read More
China is stepping up measures to ensure there is enough electricity supply for heavy industries amid ongoing power restrictions in various parts of the country.The National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) will look into allowing more thermal coal imports and higher domestic production of the raw material to increase electricity generation rates, a spokesman for the commission said at a pres...Read More
Prices in the United States for imported hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil and galvanized steel dropped, with foreign producers finding that they can profit if they underbid domestic mills and gain market share in the lucrative US market."The price gap between US and international prices is widening, and more and more foreign mills are interested in the US market, even from the [European Union],"...Read More
Local rebar prices in Egypt remained stable in the week to Thursday September 30, supported by ample demand from government projects, sources told Fastmarkets."Demand is good for the second consecutive month, driven by state projects in infrastructure and housing sectors," a local steelmaker told Fastmarkets.For example, domestic rebar consumption in August was 720,000 tonnes in Egypt, up by 76.7%...Read More
Canadian lithium miner Millennial Lithium Corp has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement with Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology's (CATL), the former said on Tuesday September 28.Under the terms of the deal, CATL will acquire all outstanding shares of Millennial for some C$377 million ($296.5 million), it said.Millennial said it had terminated its arrangement agreement...Read More
Steel beam prices rose in the United States' domestic and import markets on Thursday September 30 in response to a third round of mill increases. Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for steel beams 8- x 8-in, fob mill US rose to $68 per hundredweight ($1,360 per short ton) on Thursday September 30, up 3.82% from $65.50 per cwt on August 26, and up 7.94% from $63 per cwt on July 29.Fastmarkets' as...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 29 that are worth another look....Read More
Mills in Bangladesh have dipped into the containerized import scrap market for a handful of bookings at largely stable prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday September 30.Bangladesh books small tonnage in containersChina import market activity thin ahead of holidayPrices in Taiwan weaken after restocking endsBangladeshSteelmakers in Bangladesh booked a handful of deals for containers of heav...Read More
China's stainless steel prices plunged in the week to Wednesday September 29 due to the weak demand and destocking pressure.DomesticStainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic (Wuxi): 21,000-21,400 ($3,247-3,308) per tonne, down by 800-1,100 yuan per tonne from a week earlier The high prices of a week earlier - they had surged to their highest in 10 years - kept buying interest subdued...Read More
A drop in Comex copper prices has led to a slight lowering of discounts for some copper scrap items, while brass scrap prices fell. Demand for copper scrap was said to be steady, however, with buyers not overly concerned about supply at the moment despite a recent resurgence in export demand - especially from China."There is a lot of scrap available, more than enough to get through what we need to...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 30 that are worth another look.Temporary steel export duties in Russia, which have been in effect since August 1, have not impacted export volumes significantly so far, sources have told Fastmarkets.Australia-based mining company South32 have announced...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices gained more strength on Thursday September 30 amid tight supply, ending the month with a sharp increase of around 13% in the eastern region and 14% in the north. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 5,900-5,930 yuan ($902-908) per tonne, up by 60-70 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing) weekly assessment: 5,700-5,740 yuan per tonne, up by 220 yuan per tonnePrices in ea...Read More