In the United States, the nickel 4x4 cut cathode premium weakened on the high end while nickel briquette premiums held their wide range, European market players eyed the forward curve and Chinese players maintained focus on the import window. US 4x4 nickel cut cathodes respond to falls from cheaper nickel forms European premiums steady but backwardation may signal a future sell-off Chinese premium...Read More
The price of steel rebar in the domestic market of Northern Europe has been stable over the past week amid subdued trading that is typical for this time of year, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 14.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?500-520 ($560-582) per tonne on Wednesday.The market slowdown in the north...Read More
An overview of the noble alloys markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 14 that are worth another look.A series of press reports relating to the changes in Indonesia's nickel ore export ban policy amid volatile nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange has left market participants baffled, Fastmarkets understands.China announced a third round of copper scrap import quotas on August 14, all...Read More
Chinaannounced a third round of copper scrap import quotas on Wednesday August 14, allowing a select list of importers to bring an additional 87,680 tonnes of copper scrap into the country by the end of 2019, according to the Bureau of International Recycling.The list of waste import quotas, which covers waste and scrap forms of of aluminium, copper, ferrous metals and paper, was published by...Read More
Resumed buying activity in the United States amid a low outright tin price caused tin ingot premiums to widen this week, while questions surrounding physical demand continue to cap premium ranges in Europe and Asia. US market reports uptick in buying momentum European traders cautious of tightening spreads Demand woes keep Asia premium static US range widens on countervailing trends T...Read More
A series of press reports relating to the changes in Indonesia's nickel ore export ban policy amid volatile nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange has left market participants baffled, Fastmarkets understands.The latest news regarding Indonesian nickel exports claims that Indonesia's President Joko Widodo will make the final decision on whether the country will bring an export ban on mineral o...Read More
Trading volumes on the London Metal Exchange declined by 6% in the first half of 2019, parent company Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing (HKEX) said in its own half-year results announcement.HKEX said the chargeable average daily volume of contracts traded on the LME was 619,000 lots in the first six months of the year, compared with 659,000 lots during the same period...Read More
The price of steel mesh-quality wire rod in the northern and southern European domestic markets was largely unchanged in the week to August 14, with trading activity remaining subdued amid the seasonal August slowdown, Fastmarkets heard.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?485-510 ($543-571) per tonne on Wednesday August...Read More
Domestic prices for hollow steel sections remained unchanged across Europe this week, with trading largely on hold during the traditional summer break, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 14.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, stayed at ?,?615-630 ($688-705) per tonne on Wednesday.During August, many workers take...Read More
Iranian export prices for steel billet and slab remained largely unchanged in the week to Wednesday August 14 amid a holiday lull in the country and in the major sales outlets.Most market participants in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in Southeast Asia, have been out of the market in recent days due to Eid al-Adha religious holiday, which ends on August 14.But market participants bel...Read More
Steel H-beam prices in both Northern and Southern Europe were unchanged week on week due to the seasonal pause in trading, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 14.Fastmarkets assessed the price for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe, steady at ?,?570-600 ($638-671) per tonne on August 14.August is traditionally when many workers take holidays and mills close for maintenance....Read More
The price of steel rebar in the Southern Europe domestic market was stable this week amid heavily subdued activity due to the traditional August slowdown, when most companies close for holidays and maintenance, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday August 16.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for rebar, domestic, delivered Southern Europe was unchanged week on week at ?,?470-485 ($526-543) per tonne on...Read More
A summary of Tata Steel's financial results for the quarter ending in June 2019.In briefConsolidated adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) went down, mainly because of lower deliveries from the company's EU assets resulting from planned shutdowns and unplanned outages, coupled with sluggish demand."A rising share of imports and elevated...Read More
Stainless steel scrap prices in the United States have continued to climb following an uptick in London Metal Exchange nickel prices."I wish the recent price improvement was due to increased demand, but unfortunately the price improvement is solely attributable to the London Metal Exchange nickel price and speculation of potential nickel supply issues," one dealer told Fastmarkets."[There's] lots...Read More
The suspension of iron ore exports from SL Mining's operations at Marampa in Sierra Leone have left stockpiles of more than 500,000 tonnes of concentrates at the mine in the Port Loko district, according to the company.An export ban was imposed on SL Mining, a subsidiary of Gerald Group, by the country's new minister for mines and mineral resources, Foday Rado Yokie, from July 24, on the expiry of...Read More
The conspicuous absence of Turkish mills from the East Coast ferrous scrap export market has started to take its toll, with Boston docks lowering prices effective from Tuesday August 13 and headwinds in global rebar prices likely to drag scrap prices lower.Fastmarkets' assessment for the steel scrap No1 heavy melt, export yard buying price, delivered to yard Boston, stands at $230 per gross t...Read More
Steel mills in Turkey have remained out of the deep-sea scrap markets so far this week with trading limited by the Eid al-Adha religious holiday in the country, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 14.The Turkish market and those in other Middle Eastern territories will be closed until August 15 for Eid al-Adha; no new deals for cargoes were expected to be heard before then.As a...Read More
Physical iron ore prices rebounded on Wednesday August 14 amid an easing of the trade tensions between China and the United States, but seaborne buying remained lackluster.Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.72 per tonne, up by $1.47 per tonne.Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines, cfr Qingdao: $89.22 per tonne, up by $1.47 per tonne.Fastmarkets' ind...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreBHP, private tender, joint cargo, 110,000 tonnes of 62.4% Fe Newman fines, sold...Read More