Base metals prices were mixed on both the LME and the SHFE this morning, Monday September 13. But while the mood in broader markets remains somewhat negative, the base metals seem to be entering the post-summer period in a more bullish mood. There is a barrage of key Chinese economic data out this week, which the market is likely to watch closely for signs that the Chinese economy is slowingBase m...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Monday September 13.Key drivers Spot activity has started to pick up, with the international cobalt metal price showing continued gains over the past week. Fastmarkets' price assessment for cobalt, standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, was $24.00-24.60 per lb on September 13, compared with...Read More
The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard...Read More
The Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbtrade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in London on Friday September 10th.Key drivers: There is market talk of factory closures in Lengshuijiang, Hunan Province due to high antimony content in Zijiang River, which is located there. The central government has ordered all metal refineries in...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in China on Friday September 10.Key driversChina's cobalt metal price moved up amid continuous rising local futures prices and tight spot supply among sellers. Some buyers restocked small-volume materials, but others remained cautious.The cobalt tetroxide price increased further, with most producers insisting...Read More
A pick-up in buying interest in the ferro-silicon market from consumers in the European steel sector has pushed prices to levels not seen since Fastmarkets started to assess the market, with more record highs likely to be set in the coming weeks.A combination of firm fundamentals, an acute container shortage, record high freight rates, and production and transport issues have boosted ferro-silicon...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were added 14 points in pre-opening trade.Index futures moved higher following release of the August Consumer Price Index at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus was an increase of 0.4% versus a gain of 0.5% in July. Actual was an increase of 0.3%. Excluding food and energy, consensus was an increase of 0.3% versus a gain of 0.3% in July. Ac...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday September 13 that are worth another look....Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were lower across the board at 5pm on Monday September 13, after coal prices continued to trade downward and strength was seen in the US dollar.The US Dollar Index reached a high of 92.89 on Monday, the highest level seen for more than two weeks and shoring up the current weakness across the base metals complex.The three-month nickel price came under...Read More
Prices for most metals fell on Monday September 13, except for aluminium, which set a new 13-year high of $3,000 per tonne on Monday.Monday's price drops came after most metals reached year-to-date highs on Friday September 10.Nickel's three-month price was down to $19,870 per tonne on Monday morning, a 2.6% decrease from its closing price of $20,392 per tonne on Friday.The stainless-steel metal r...Read More
China's leading copper producer, Jiangxi Copper, will develop the Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan with Metallurgical Corp of China (MCC) when conditions allow, the company said.Due to the unstable situation in Afghanistan, there has not yet been any substantial construction at the mine, but the two companies are monitoring the situation and will push forward with the project when they...Read More
The latest data for the global manganese ore market for the week ended September 13, 2021.Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in London on Friday September 10th.Key drivers: There is market talk of factory closures in Lengshuijiang, Hunan Province due to high antimony content in Zijiang River, which is located there. The central government has ordered all metal refineries in...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices fell sharply on the news of a fresh booking for October shipment, market participants told Fastmarkets on Monday September 13.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo, comprising 32,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $436 per tonne and 8,000 tonnes of shredded at $451.50 per tonne cfr late on Friday September 10.Earlier on Friday, a booking from the B...Read More
Steelmakers in Bangladesh returned to the market for imports of bulk steel scrap cargoes in the week ended Friday September 10 despite very high freight costs, sources told Fastmarkets.Bangladesh removed its Covid-19-related lockdown in early August 2020, leading to a re-opening of the steel retail markets and easing the movement of scrap across the country.The decision also allowed induction furn...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in China on Friday September 10.Key driversChina's cobalt metal price moved up amid continuous rising local futures prices and tight spot supply among sellers. Some buyers restocked small-volume materials, but others remained cautious.The cobalt tetroxide price increased further, with most producers insisting...Read More
China's nickel sulfate prices softened in the week to Friday September 10 amid an increase in the supply of mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), though strong nickel prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange kept the spot market quiet.Fastmarkets assessed prices for nickel sulfate min 21%, max 22.5%; cobalt 10ppm max, exw China at 36,500-38,000 yuan ($5,663-5,896) per to...Read More
The recovery of the Brazilian domestic flat steel market appears to have peaked in recent weeks, but it is expected to continue strong through 2022, according to ArcelorMittal Brasil chief executive officer Benjamin Baptista Filho."We saw since last year a very strong recovery of the Brazilian manufacturing activity, especially from the agribusiness sector, and demand for steel rose in a sustained...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:US prices for hot-rolled coil moved in line with our forecasts in August, averaging $1,910 per ton, within 1% accuracy of our forecast of $1,925 per ton. The market has achieved much-needed stability in recent weeks, with prices fluctuating in the range of $1,900-1,94...Read More