Physical iron ore prices generally weakened on Wednesday November 27 amid further losses in futures and steel markets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.56 per tonne, down $1.74 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.59 per tonne, down $1.74 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.03 per tonne, down $1.68 per tonne.58% Fe fines hi...Read More
Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) started its own steel production last week, the company told Fastmarkets at the sidelines of the Arab Iron & Steel Union (AISU) annual summit in Tunisia on Wednesday November 27. The company used to import steel billet, but a source at the company told Fastmarkets: "We have stopped importing semis some time ago, continuing with re-rolling billet from stocks imported ear...Read More
Iranian billet producers achieved higher price levels in new deals amid strong demand and positive sentiment in the global market, sources said.Recent sales of Iranian billet scheduled for shipment in January were reported within the range of $364-375 per tonne fob to customers in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.This compares with $355-365 per tonne fob in the previous round of sales.Read More
China's domestic rebar prices dropped on Wednesday November 27 amid inactive trading. Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,050-4,080 yuan ($577-581) per tonne, down 30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,790-3,830 yuan per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneCustomers in eastern China are waiting for rebar cargoes from northern mills to arrive over the coming couple of weeks, which...Read More
Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) started its own steel production last week, the company told Fastmarkets at the sidelines of the Arab Iron & Steel Union (AISU) annual summit in Tunisia on Wednesday November 27. The company used to import steel billet, but a source at the company told Fastmarkets: "We have stopped importing semis some time ago, continuing with re-rolling billet from stocks imported ear...Read More
Anglo American has sold a 12% interest in the Grosvenor coal mine in Queensland, Australia, to a consortium of Japanese companies, including steelmaker Nippon Steel, it said on Wednesday November 27.Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to a number of conditions prior to completion, Anglo American will receive cash proceeds of approximately $141 million in respect of the 12% minority...Read More
Global crude steel production totaled 151.49 million tonnes in October, down by 2.8% from the same month a year earlier, according to data released by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) on Tuesday November 26.Chinese steelmakers contributed 81.52 million tonnes to that amount, a decrease of 0.6% from the 82.01 million tonnes they produced in October 2018.Indian...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Key data from the November 27 pricing session in London. Key drivers: - Cobalt prices continue to come under pressure while traders seek to destock ahead of the end of the year.- Spot inquiries are scant,...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange was lower at the close of trading on Wednesday November 27, falling by a little more than 1% on thin turnover, while strength in the US economy did little to boost risk-off sentiment toward the base metals complex.Nickel's underlying price on the LME closed at $14,380 per tonne on Wednesday afternoon, falling from an intraday high of $14,57...Read More
Premiums have fallen in the United States over the past week on a year-end push for sales while rates in China are mixed and those in Europe are flat. US starts holiday season with briquette sell-offShanghai bonded-zone full-cathode premium declinesLittle spot trade in Europe so assessments unchangedDownturn for US premiums Nickel reversed lower in the US largely because an aggressively low, overs...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday November 27 that are worth another look.Brazilian steelmaker Gerdau has agreed to buy 96.4% of Sider??rgica Latino-Americana (Silat) shares from Spanish group Hierros A????n for $110.8 million, in a shift from its divestment strategy of the past four years.Shifting London Metal Exchange zinc and lead prices have dictated premi...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange was lower at the close of trading on Wednesday November 27, falling by a little more than 1% on thin turnover, while strength in the US economy did little to boost risk-off sentiment toward the base metals complex.Nickel's underlying price on the LME closed at $14,380 per tonne on Wednesday afternoon, falling from an intraday high of $14,57...Read More
The London Metal Exchange's cash-settled alumina futures contract, which is settled against a basket of prices that includes Fastmarkets' index, has seen a flurry of activity on the January 2020 prompt date.Four trades had taken place as of 11am London time on Wednesday November 27. Three separate trades of 10 lots on the January 2020 date at $290 per tonne, while another 10 lots traded for May 20...Read More
Base metals traded lower in the morning session on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday November 27, shrugging off any residual positive sentiment from the renewed US-Sino trade-talk optimism that led the Dow Jones index to fresh highs yesterday."Wall Street closed at fresh highs yesterday, as both the United States and China spoke positively that a phase one limited trade deal is imminent. Chin...Read More
Copper has attempted to rebound since early September following a marked sell-off in the summer months where macro and fundamental forces have been prevalent.On the macro front, copper has benefited from a slight easing in US-China trade tensions and more monetary policy easing across the globe - including China, where copper consumption is the most exposed - that has shored up investor sentiment....Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday November 27.Please click...Read More
The price of steel mesh-quality wire rod in the Northern Europe domestic market edged upward this week, primarily because of higher ferrous scrap costs, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday November 27.Mills said that recent price increases had been readily accepted by consumers and that order books were now at very healthy levels, in terms of both month-on-month and year-on-year comparisons.Indeed, one...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday November 27 that are worth another look.Brazilian steelmaker Gerdau has agreed to buy 96.4% of Sider??rgica Latino-Americana (Silat) shares from Spanish group Hierros A????n for $110.8 million, in a shift from its divestment strategy of the past four years.Shifting London Metal Exchange zinc and lead prices have dictated premi...Read More
The European Commission has referred the government of Greece to the Court of Justice of the European Union for the non-payment of ?,?135.8 million ($149.60 million) of aid granted to state-owned ferro-nickel producer Larco. It has also called for the court to impose a lump-sum fine and financial penalties on Greece. The move follows requests by the court for repayment of the aid both in November...Read More