The Comex copper price fell in US morning trading on Friday March 8 following the release of disappointing data from the world's two largest economies, the United States and China.The copper price for May settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange declined 2.30 cents to $2.8875 per lb. Market participants pointed to waning investor appetite for metals amid weaker than exp...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part weaker again this morning, Friday March 8, and weak Chinese trade data has not helped sentiment.With the exception of aluminium that was up by 0.1%, the rest of the complex were down between 0.2% for tin and 0.7% for nickel and zinc. Copper was off by 0.5% at $6,403 per tonne, compared with $6,435 per tonne at Thurs...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More
Fastmarkets proposes to change the calculation basis for the China cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, ex-works adjustment to the standard-grade cobalt low-end price to 100% Co basis from the current Co 20.5% basis. As part of the consultation, Fastmarkets also proposes to change the name of this assessment to China cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, ex-works, adjustment to standard-grade cobalt low-end pric...Read More
Latin America's export prices of hot-rolled coil increased this week, while heavy plate and cold-rolled coil remained stable amid a rise in export offers from Brazilian producers, although few deals were reported.Offers of Brazil-origin HRC were at around $555-560 per tonne fob, with at least one deal being closed to South American countries.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for Latin America's...Read More
Prices for coated steel products in Turkey decreased in the seven days to Friday March 8, with demand weak in both the domestic and export markets.Demand was unlikely to improve in March, sources told Fastmarkets, because of market uncertainty in the period before mayoral elections to be held across the country on March 31.Buyers want to see if end-user demand improves after the elections and have...Read More
Some steel coil prices in Turkey decreased again in the week ended Friday March 8, with buying activity remaining subdued.The market is unlikely to improve in March because of the uncertainty in the build-up to Turkey's mayoral elections held on the last day of the month, sources told Fastmarkets. Market participants want to wait and see if end-user demand improves after elections are over.Additio...Read More
Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia were up slightly on Friday March 8 amid pressure from elevated offer levels, although some buyers were still unwilling to increase their bids this week, market participants said. Fastmarkets' daily import price assessment for billet in Southeast Asia was $480-490 per tonne cfr Manila on Friday, widening upward by $5 per tonne from $480-485 per...Read More
China's rebar prices were flat amid active trading on Friday March 8, although billet prices in Tangshan dropped after local authorities imposed new production restrictions earlier this week aimed at improving air quality in the city in northeastern China. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,780-3,810 yuan ($563-568) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,750-3,800 yuan per tonne, u...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for rebar, wire rod, steel beams and other long steel products. Latest transactions: rebarRebar East China, domestic, grade...Read More
There were widespread rises in global ferrous scrap prices in the week ended Friday March 8, due to stable demand from end-users in key importing markets, Fastmarkets heard.Turkish steelmakers were buying imported materials to shore up their inventories, while buyers in Asia were purchasing spot cargoes to hedge against future price increases.TurkeyScrap prices in the Turkish import market began t...Read More
UK prices for alloy steel scrap have moved up over the past week due to higher costs for nickel, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 8.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic UK 18/8 stainless steel scrap solids was ?830-870 ($1,090-1,143) per tonne delivered on March 8. This was up from ?800-840 per tonne delivered a week earlier, reflecting transactions heard in the market."Nick...Read More
Prices for light iron steel scrap in the United Kingdom broke a five-week spell of stability and fell by ?5 ($7) per tonne this week, with inter-merchant prices tracking a drop in the consumer market, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 8.The inter-merchant market was responding to a drop of about ?10 per tonne in the consumer price in late February, sources said.Even though there has been...Read More
China's rebar prices were flat amid active trading on Friday March 8, although billet prices in Tangshan dropped after local authorities imposed new production restrictions earlier this week aimed at improving air quality in the city in northeastern China. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,780-3,810 yuan ($563-568) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,750-3,800 yuan per tonne, u...Read More
Prices for long and flat stainless steel products in Europe were stable this week, but higher prices were beginning to emerge in the market following the increase in monthly surcharges, market participants told Fastmarkets on Friday March 8.The March surcharges for grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) stainless sheets increased to ?,?1,308-1,351 ($1,474-1,522) per tonne on March 1, according to data release...Read More
Fastmarkets AMM attended the annual convention of the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors (NASPD) on Thursday March 7 and Friday March 8 in New Orleans. Here are five themes gleaned in the sessions, on the sidelines and at the soirees.The US Gulf Coast is excited about China LNG import rumors. Reports that China may agree to buy an immense amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exp...Read More
Fastmarkets AMM attended the annual convention of the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors (NASPD) on Thursday March 7 and Friday March 8 in New Orleans. Here are five themes gleaned in the sessions, on the sidelines and at the soirees.The US Gulf Coast is excited about China LNG import rumors. Reports that China may agree to buy an immense amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exp...Read More
Chinese finished steel exports decreased in February on both a yearly and a month-on-month basis amid uncompetitive prices and fewer working days as a result of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday.The country shipped 4.51 million tonnes of finished steel out of the country last month, down 7% from the 4.85 million tonnes exported in February 2018, according to preliminary Chinese customs data...Read More
China's major mills continued to raise their daily output rates for crude steel in mid-February, while their finished steel inventories also rose.Members of the China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) produced crude steel at an average rate of 1.95 million tonnes per day during the second 10 days of February, up 1.6% from 1.92 million tpd in early February, according to data released by the industry...Read More
Latin America's export prices of hot-rolled coil increased this week, while heavy plate and cold-rolled coil remained stable amid a rise in export offers from Brazilian producers, although few deals were reported.Offers of Brazil-origin HRC were at around $555-560 per tonne fob, with at least one deal being closed to South American countries.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for Latin America's...Read More