The acquisition of processed graphite represents a potential reputational risk for participants in the battery sector, according to Adam Panayi, managing director of battery analyst RHO Motion."There are reputational issues surrounding graphite processing, as well as cobalt," Panayi said at Fastmarkets' Battery Materials Europe 2019 conference in Amsterdam, September 26-27. "The leaching process o...Read More
Fastmarkets is extending until October 15 the consultation period for its proposal to discontinue five of its precious metals prices.Fastmarkets made this decision because the responses received to date have identified a need to conduct more in-depth consultation into the usage of and need for these prices.The prices being proposed for discontinuation are as follows:Platinum min 99.9% Europe Free...Read More
Europe's battery production capacity will have more than doubled by 2025 from the level in 2015, according to Eurobat, the Association of European Automotive & Industrial Battery Manufacturers.Battery production capacity in Europe will increase to at least 1,000GWh by 2025 from 440GWh in 2015, according to Gert Meylemans, the group's senior communications manager, speaking at Fastmarkets' Battery...Read More
The latest selenium transactions, bids, offers and assessments in Europe reported to Fastmarkets.Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb and on an in-warehouse Rotterdam basis. Delivered prices are netted back.To view the latest price assessment for selenium, 99.5% Se min, in-whs Rotterdam, click here.To see all Fastmarkets' pricing methodology and specification documents, go to https:...Read More
Taiyuan Iron & Steel (Tisco) has raised its ferro-chrome tender price for October above that of Tsingshan Group in a rare move, signaling differing procurement strategies and feedstock needs for the remainder of 2019. Tisco took the lead on Friday September 20 by announcing a monthly tender price for high-carbon ferro-chrome at 6,500 yuan ($911) per tonne on a duty-paid basis including delivery fo...Read More
China's domestic stainless steel prices rose late last week on costlier nickel, and maintained those gains over the first three days of this week.The start of trading of stainless steel futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange on Wednesday September 25 had little effect on the spot market. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for stainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic, ex-whs Chin...Read More
Equity index futures moved higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 8 points in pre-opening trade.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus for August Durable Goods Orders was a drop of 1.2% versus a gain of 2.0% in July. Actual was an increase of 0.2. Excluding Transportation Orders, consensus for August Durable Goods Orders was an...Read More
(Updates with closing prices) By Peter Hobson LONDON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Copper prices fell on Thursdayas investors focused on a weak demand outlook and were scepticalof a suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump that he couldsoon reach a trade deal with China.Industrial metals were also caught in wider market moves asaccusations that Trump pressed Ukraine to investigate apolitical rival pushed...Read More
The London Metal Exchange three-month lead price continued to rise over the day's trading on Wednesday September 25, closing up by 2.4% on the previous day at $2,107 per tonne. Market analysts attribute the increase to prevailing supply tailwinds at a time when global demand for material is forecast to grow. Nyrstar's Port Pirie smelter closure in Australia, due to take 30,000 tonnes of mater...Read More
Despite concerns of low prices and poor demand, the aluminium market still has growth potential due to the automotive industry, McKinsey & Company's Benedikt Zeumer said at Fastmarkets' International Aluminium Conference held in Athens, Greece.The fastest growing underlying factor to global aluminium growth is the global automotive sector, Zeumer said. McKinsey's outlook does not indicate that the...Read More
Fastmarkets outlines some of the key topics likely to dominate discussions when participants of the battery raw materials and electric vehicle supply chain gathers in Amsterdam this week.Are cobalt buyers serious about booking early for 2020? Some discussions for cobalt supply agreements in 2020 started almost as soon as Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine at the end of the yea...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 25 that are worth another look.Global long steel consumption was expected to reach 851 million tonnes in 2019, up by 2.4% year on year although mounting political uncertainties such as trade wars and the UK's intended exit from the EU may soften this growth, according to steelmaker Celsa.Despite concerns of low price...Read More
Fastmarkets outlines some of the key topics likely to dominate discussions when participants of the battery raw materials and electric vehicle supply chain gathers in Amsterdam this week.Are cobalt buyers serious about booking early for 2020? Some discussions for cobalt supply agreements in 2020 started almost as soon as Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine at the end of the yea...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Fastmarkets outlines some of the key topics likely to dominate discussions when participants of the battery raw materials and electric vehicle supply chain gathers in Amsterdam this week.Are cobalt buyers serious about booking early for 2020? Some discussions for cobalt supply agreements in 2020 started almost as soon as Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine at the end of the yea...Read More
Despite concerns of low prices and poor demand, the aluminium market still has growth potential due to the automotive industry, McKinsey & Company's Benedikt Zeumer said at Fastmarkets' International Aluminium Conference held in Athens, Greece.The fastest growing underlying factor to global aluminium growth is the global automotive sector, Zeumer said. McKinsey's outlook does not indicate that the...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued to book deep-sea scrap cargoes for November shipments, confirming another downturn in the prices, sources said on Wednesday September 25.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a US cargo, comprising 15,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $228 per tonne, 15,000 tonnes of shredded at $233 per tonne and 2,000 tonnes of plate and structural scrap (P&S) at $238...Read More
Fastmarkets outlines some of the key topics likely to dominate discussions when participants of the battery raw materials and electric vehicle supply chain gathers in Amsterdam this week.Are cobalt buyers serious about booking early for 2020? Some discussions for cobalt supply agreements in 2020 started almost as soon as Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine at the end of the yea...Read More
The London Metal Exchange will extend the waiver of listing fees for new cobalt brands until December 20, 2019, it said on September 24. The exchange launched the initiative on March 26 this year, initially for six months, in an effort to encourage liquidity on its physically delivered cobalt contract. Since then, Norilsk grade-I cut cobalt cathodes and Huayou cut cobalt cathodes have been listed...Read More
Eastern China's hot-rolled coil prices retreated on Wednesday September 25 with traders seeking more sales before the country's October 1-7 Golden Week.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,640-3,650 yuan ($512-513) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,600 yuan per tonne, unchangedHRC futures traded below Tuesday's settlement price of 3,522 yuan per tonne for most of the day...Read More