Fastmarkets has amended the specifications of its two cobalt hydroxide price assessments to take account of chemical components, mine origin of material eligible for consideration, and publication frequency. Following a consultation, Fastmarkets has tightened the chemical specification of the cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, min 30% Co, cif China, % payable of Fastmarkets' standard-grade cobalt...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 25 points in pre-opening trade. Investors were encouraged by news that China has committed to purchase $10 billion in agricultural products if a U.S./China trade agreement is reached. Johnson & Johnson dropped $2.85 to $128.99 following a jury decision that awarded $8 billion against the company.Verizons added $0.2...Read More
The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange was higher at the close of trading on Monday October 7, topping a broadly lackluster base metals complex amid low turnover, while zinc's benchmark cash/three-month spread narrowed over the afternoon.Aluminium futures closed at $1,746 per tonne in the afternoon, climbing from an intraday low of $1,714 per tonne, while some 10,100 lots wer...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange moved higher during morning trading on Monday October 7, with prices buoyed by a continued draw on the exchange's falling inventory. Nickel's outright price was recently seen trading at $17,775 per tonne, edging closer to the $18,000-per-tonne resistance level, a price not seen since September 13. Volumes traded were particularly thin over...Read More
China is still on holiday this morning, Monday October 7, and quiet trading has resulted in fairly mixed prices across the metals and broader markets. We expect activity to pick up when China's markets reopen on Tuesday, but with United States-China trade talks scheduled for Thursday and Friday, trading is likely to be nervous. Markets quiet with China on holiday for Golden Week until Tuesday...Read More
Antimony found support again in Europe over the week ended Friday October 4, with some traders reportedly achieving higher prices in Rotterdam.Fastmarkets assessed the price of antimony, MMTA standard grade II, in-warehouse Rotterdam, at $6,000-6,300 per tonne on Friday, up by 1.8% per tonne from the previous assessment. Despite the absence of Chinese market participants during the week-long...Read More
Chinese cobalt producer GEM Co Ltd has signed a cobalt supply contract with Switzerland-based miner-trader Glencore, locking in cobalt hydroxide supply for the next five years, the companies announced on October 7. Glencore will supply GEM, including four of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, with at least 61,200 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide between 2020 and 2024. According to the agreement, GEM will pu...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices were largely stable over the past week, in line with steady imported scrap values, sources said on Monday October 7.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel scrap, auto bundle scrap, domestic, delivered Turkey, was TRY1,300-1,430 ($229-252) per tonne on Monday, unchanged week-on-week. Almost all steel mills have kept their buy prices flat for the...Read More
Turkish steel mills were silent on the first working day of the week with no deep-sea purchases taking place and prices remaining stable, sources said on Monday October 7. Two cargoes were booked at the end of last week. One Turkish steel mill in the Marmara region booked a UK cargo at $223.50 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20) and another steel mill in the Izmir region booked a US cargo at $228.50...Read More
China is still on holiday this morning, Monday October 7, and quiet trading has resulted in fairly mixed prices across the metals and broader markets. We expect activity to pick up when China's markets reopen on Tuesday, but with United States-China trade talks scheduled for Thursday and Friday, trading is likely to be nervous. Markets quiet with China on holiday for Golden Week until Tuesday...Read More
Chinese cobalt producer GEM Co Ltd has signed a cobalt supply contract with Switzerland-based miner-trader Glencore, locking in cobalt hydroxide supply for the next five years, the companies announced on October 7. Glencore will supply GEM, including four of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, with at least 61,200 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide between 2020 and 2024. According to the agreement, GEM will pu...Read More
Import prices for rebar into Singapore were unchanged over the past week due to limited spot activity during the National Day holiday in China.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar) import, cfr Singapore - which mainly looks at cargoes sold into Singapore on a theoretical-weight basis - was $430-435 per tonne for the week to Monday October...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices were largely stable over the past week, in line with steady imported scrap values, sources said on Monday October 7.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel scrap, auto bundle scrap, domestic, delivered Turkey, was TRY1,300-1,430 ($229-252) per tonne on Monday, unchanged week-on-week. Almost all steel mills have kept their buy prices flat for the...Read More
Turkish steel mills were silent on the first working day of the week with no deep-sea purchases taking place and prices remaining stable, sources said on Monday October 7. Two cargoes were booked at the end of last week. One Turkish steel mill in the Marmara region booked a UK cargo at $223.50 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20) and another steel mill in the Izmir region booked a US cargo at $228.50...Read More
Workable prices for pig iron buyers in the United States have declined after first scrap deals were concluded at lower prices, but no reduced offers have been heard, market sources told Fastmarkets on Friday October 4. Fastmarkets' price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US, was $290-300 per tonne on October 4, down from $300-315 per tonne the previous week. "I would b...Read More
The CIS export billet market became firmer early in the week following a stabilization of prices in the scrap market as well as fresh billet bookings agreed at higher prices, Fastmarkets heard on Monday October 7.Fastmarkets' daily steel billet index, export, fob Black Sea, CIS, was $352 per tonne on October 7, up by $1 per tonne from Friday.A 50,000-tonnes cargo of Ukraine-origin billet was repor...Read More
Import prices for steel slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia were stable over the past week due to sluggish trading activity amid a week-long holiday in China to mark the country's 70th anniversary.Market participants are waiting to see how Chinese steel prices will change when its markets re-open on October 8, a trader in Taiwan said. Prices in Asia's downstream hot-rolled coil market fell amid C...Read More
The markets for ferro-chrome with both high carbon and low carbon (0.10% C) content ticked upward in the week ended Friday October 4, with support from low supply volumes coming into the spot market. High- and low-carbon alloy prices rise in Europe Imported alloy price in China increases Domestic alloy price rolled over in China US alloy market stable.Prices for high and low carbon (0.10% C) ferro...Read More
The European ferro-silicon market was unchanged despite a lower fourth-quarter deal being done in the week ended Friday October 4 because suppliers are waiting for further quarterly deals for delivery up to January before making any decision on their offer prices for prompt shipment. European suppliers hold offer prices European demand slower than usual, more Q4 business expected US mar...Read More
Demand for flat steel products in Turkey was weak in September 2019 because of global price falls, market participants have told Fastmarkets.And local producers have now filled their order books until late November, they said on Wednesday October 2.Turkish steel prices increased on May 17 after the import duty into the United States, which had been applied at a rate of 50% in September 2018, was c...Read More