Europe's largest copper producer, Aurubis, has announced its annual copper cathode premium for 2020 at $96 per tonne, unchanged from last year's level, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 22. Aurubis spokesperson Malte Blomback confirmed the annual premium to Fastmarkets this afternoon, while market participants also suggested that the company would begin contractual negotiatio...Read More
Trade unions representing workers for Chile's state-run miner Codelco have called on their members to mobilize in support of protests against the government.Union No1 for Codelco's Chuquicamata has joined Sindicato No1 for BHP's Escondida in backing protestors, whose opposition to inequality in the country has escalated into alleged looting and arson, and to violent confrontations with the militar...Read More
Chinese vanadium exporters continued to lower offers amid minimal buying interest abroad, while European and US ferro-vanadium prices continued to suffer from lackluster consumer interest. Chinese exporters reduce offers amid limited buying interest abroadEU FeV market suffers from lackluster consumer spot demandEU V2O5 suppliers lower offers amid falling FeV priceUS FeV market slumps under press...Read More
The London Metal Exchange has no plans to stop adding to its contract suite, with new additions expected in 2020, chief executive Matthew Chamberlain told Fastmarkets. After launching seven new cash-settled futures contracts in March 2019, the exchange will listen to market participants' requests for new hedging options."We are very keen to do more contracts in 2020, it is in the plan and in the b...Read More
The London Metal Exchange has no plans to stop adding to its contract suite, with new additions expected in 2020, chief executive Matthew Chamberlain told Fastmarkets. After launching seven new cash-settled futures contracts in March 2019, the exchange will listen to market participants' requests for new hedging options."We are very keen to do more contracts in 2020, it is in the plan and in the b...Read More
China's ferro-silicon market was split between a weakening export price and a steady domestic price last week, with exporters battling soft demand and supplier competition while production cuts supported domestic rates.In Europe, prices have consolidated recent price gains, although the recent rally looks short-lived because export offers into Europe have appeared from Kazakhstan. There are no ant...Read More
Prices for most grades of ferrous scrap in Mexico fell in the week ended Friday October 18, with mills continuing to apply price cuts while they adjusted to recent settlements in the United States and other regions.One mill in the Baj?-o region applied a price cut of 200 pesos ($10.45) per tonne last week. And although its supply of scrap has reduced, it has so far given no sign of reversing this...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained silent in the deep-sea scrap markets for the second consecutive day, while offers for scrap stayed firm, sources said on Tuesday October 22.Steel mills have been largely active in the deep-sea markets in previous weeks, booking material for November deliveries. Turkish steelmakers have booked 16 deep-sea cargoes since the start of the month, totaling...Read More
China will become a net exporter of refined lead in 2020 as a result of higher forecasted production and unimproved domestic consumption next year, a senior analyst said at the 2019 Lead & Zinc Week gathering in Kunming, China, on Thursday October 17. Chinese lead smelters are likely to increase production to take advantage of good profits for lead smelting due to higher treatment charges (TCs) fo...Read More
China will become a net exporter of refined lead in 2020 as a result of higher forecasted production and unimproved domestic consumption next year, a senior analyst said at the 2019 Lead & Zinc Week gathering in Kunming, China, on Thursday October 17. Chinese lead smelters are likely to increase production to take advantage of good profits for lead smelting due to higher treatment charges (TCs) fo...Read More
Some flat steel import prices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia fell this week on limited demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 22.Buyers were reluctant to book large tonnages because of the falling prices as well as the weak end-user demand, they said.UAEOffer prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) from China were heard in the UAE at $440-445 per tonne cfr this week, with offer...Read More
Export prices for Chinese cold-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized coil fell during the week to Tuesday October 22 on weak demand in the export market and aggressive pricing strategies adopted by suppliers in other regions, market sources said.Despite facing stiff competition for export sales, Chinese producers are reluctant to slash prices much further because of stable prices in the domestic m...Read More
Chinese mills lowered export offers for hot-rolled coil on Tuesday October 22 despite a stable domestic market amid pressure from cheaper products offered by suppliers in other regions.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,500-3,510 yuan ($495-496) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,480 yuan per tonne, unchangedTrading was moderate during the day maid steady demand, which kept spot pri...Read More
Import prices for steel billet and rebar in the United Arab Emirates increased over the past week, with domestic rebar prices remaining stable, market sources said on Tuesday October 22.Domestic prices for rebar for the month were announced by the country's producers on October 21. Both Emirates Steel and Conares Steel kept their prices unchanged.Billet importsBillet bookings were made from Oman a...Read More
CIS rebar and wire rod producers increased offers for foreign customers in the second half of October following the recovery of scrap and billet prices globally.But buying activity remained limited as customers waited to see more evidence of market stabilization and improvement of demand from end-users.Early last week, offers for Russian wire rod were reported at $425 per tonne fob Black Sea, with...Read More
China's domestic prices for rebar held steady for a second day on Tuesday October 22 despite gains in the futures market, with participants taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding whether to engage in arbitrage trading.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,580-3,610 yuan ($505-510) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,550-3,590 yuan per tonne, unchangedRebar futures went from a low of 3,28...Read More
Prices for most grades of ferrous scrap in Mexico fell in the week ended Friday October 18, with mills continuing to apply price cuts while they adjusted to recent settlements in the United States and other regions.One mill in the Baj?-o region applied a price cut of 200 pesos ($10.45) per tonne last week. And although its supply of scrap has reduced, it has so far given no sign of reversing this...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained silent in the deep-sea scrap markets for the second consecutive day, while offers for scrap stayed firm, sources said on Tuesday October 22.Steel mills have been largely active in the deep-sea markets in previous weeks, booking material for November deliveries. Turkish steelmakers have booked 16 deep-sea cargoes since the start of the month, totaling...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices increased on Tuesday October 22 after Vale lowered its sales expectation, while the spread between 65% and 62% Fe indices continued to widen.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.68 per tonne, up $1.28 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.33 per tonne, up $1.28 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $85.27 per tonne, up $1.0...Read More
Import prices for steel billet and rebar in the United Arab Emirates increased over the past week, with domestic rebar prices remaining stable, market sources said on Tuesday October 22.Domestic prices for rebar for the month were announced by the country's producers on October 21. Both Emirates Steel and Conares Steel kept their prices unchanged.Billet importsBillet bookings were made from Oman a...Read More