Another wave of optimism regarding United States-China trade talks has boosted broader markets and weakened havens, but the base metals have not taken much notice yet. Asian equities are stronger led by a 1.3% rise in the Hang Seng.Base metalsThree-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed this morning, Monday November 25. Nickel was the main mover with a 0.7% fall to $...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 2 points in pre-opening trade.Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS $75.80) is expected to open higher after reporting higher than consensus fiscal fourth quarter earnings.Best Buy advanced $3.05 to $77.30 after reporting higher than consensus third quarter earnings. The company also raised guidance. Dick's Sporting Goods gained $5...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 7 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to news on U.S./China trade negotiations confirming that China plans to increase penalties on Chinese companies that steel intellectual property.TDAmeritrade has agreed to its purchase by Schwab in an all-stock deal valued at $26 billion. Each TDAmeritrade will swa...Read More
An overview of the Chinese minor metals markets and the reasons for their latest price moves. Read More
Diplomats at the World Trade Organisation's goods council have attacked the European Union over its plans to integrate titanium dioxide and cobalt into its health and safety laws, claiming this could impose unnecessary restrictions on exporting certain stainless steels to the EU.The European Parliament is considering regulating these steel inputs under its classification, labeling and packaging of...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ending Friday November 22. China The domestic Chinese ferro-silicon price remained unchanged after producers refused to lower offer prices despite slow trades. Export price was also steady on firm offer prices from major suppliers, but persistent weak demand has resulted in some lower offers among tra...Read More
Steady demand in Taiwan continues to prop up ferrous scrap prices, which maintained a slight upward trend this week. Demand in the major import market of Vietnam remained weak due to the narrow price spread between ferrous scrap and downstream billet, with few buyers willing to pay higher for deep-sea cargoes. There was, however, interest for lower-priced Japanese scrap. VietnamFastmarkets' p...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves from the past week.Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange consolidated at the close of trading on Friday November 22, with nickel futures notching a 1% rise over the day against sideways trading and moderate turnover generally. Nickel's outright price on the LME closed at $14,635 per tonne this afternoon, a climb of around 1% from Thursday's closing price of $14,505 per tonne, but an incline of just under 3...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves from the past week.Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday November 22. Japan and South Korea Imported high-carbon ferro-chrome prices in Japan and South Korea dropped by 0.7% and 1.4% respectively after lower offers emerged in a weak market. China UG2 chrome ore price held in China, with mainstream business...Read More
Japanese and Korean copper smelters are likely to follow the contract for 2020 treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) settled by Jiangxi Copper and miner Freeport, with major Chinese smelters also likely to accept the number."The benchmark number is the benchmark number. We should respect it," a source at one of the biggest Asian smelters said.Freeport agreed an annual TC/RCs deal for 2020 with J...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves from the past week.Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More
UK alloy steel scrap prices remained largely unchanged over the past seven days following a significant drop last week, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday November 22.Fastmarkets' price assessment for stainless steel scrap 316 solids domestic, delivered merchants UK, was ?1,170-1,230 ($1,512-1,590) per tonne on November 22, compared with ?1,170-1,250 per tonne delivered a...Read More
Global scrap prices remained relatively stable due to a lull in trading during the working week ended Friday November 22, with the exceptions of the Indian market, which dipped, and Taiwan, where prices rose.Turkish steel mills slow pace of buying but prices hold steadyUS prices steady on pause in export activityIndian market dips on buying jittersPrices unchanged in VietnamTaiwan prices up on sol...Read More
The inter-merchant spot price for light iron scrap in the UK was stable in the week ended Friday November 22, with steady demand into domestic major shredders and solid business levels into Turkey from Europe cementing British prices, trade sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel scrap 5C, loose old light, domestic, delivered inter-merchant, UK, was unchanged at ?7...Read More
With confusing news over United States-China trade talks, the markets are unsettled this morning, Friday November 22; the path of least resistance for the metals is to the downside, but with prices already weak, support is being encountered.The release of flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) data on Friday will provide further insight into the state of global manufacturing.With gold prices weake...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves from the past week.Read More
The European Commission will consider early next year whether to add cadmium to the European Union's critical raw materials list, with the aim of encouraging production and recycling of this metal widely used in batteries, and hence potentially helping the EU economy move away from fossil fuels. Such a listing is designed to incentivize European production of a critical raw material that is in sho...Read More