High-carbon ferro-chrome output in Inner Mongolia, China's leading ferro-alloy producing region, has retreated in the first eight months of the year, while that in the rest of the country has risen, according to market sources.This comes amid a push by Chinese authorities to reduce emissions in energy-intensive industries, as part of the country's pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.Operat...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices continued to rise on Monday September 6 following the release of data from the China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) showing a drop in steel production rates in the country.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,280-5,310 yuan ($818-823) per tonne, up by 10 yuan per tonneCisa reported that its member mills' daily crude steel output over August 21-31 was 2.05 million tonn...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mainly weaker on the morning of Tuesday September 7, while all but aluminium on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were down.* China’s imports and exports growth accelerated in August, compared with July’s increases...* ...this despite Covid-19 disruptions and container shortagesBase metalsThree-month base metals prices on the LME were main...Read More
The latest forecasts and analysis of the ferrous scrap and iron metallics market from the Fastmarkets research team are ready to be viewed.Stifled automotive output this year, driven by a supply shortage of semiconductor chips used in vehicles, has tightened prime scrap availability and widened the spreads between this grade of steelmaking raw material and obsolete scrap.While wide prime-over-obso...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 2 points in pre-opening trade.Enbridge added $0.08 to US$40.11 after announcing purchase of Moda Midstream for $3 billion.State Street improved $0.24 to $93.13 after announcing purchase of Brown Brother Harriman's investor services business for $3.5 billion cash.Spotify advanced $9.07 to $258.11 after KeyBanc upgraded...Read More
As competition in the global steel markets remains fierce, Fastmarkets provides an update on the new, progressing and closed trade cases from around the world in August 2021.The case list below includes only updates. For other continuing cases this year, see the updates for January, February, March, April,...Read More
The union representing 300 workers at the Caserones copper mine in Chile and its operating company Minera Lumina Copper Chile reached an agreement on a three-year labor contract on Saturday September 4, bringing to an end a four-week strike.The agreement was made when 98% of the union's members approved the latest offer presented by the company, which was also signed on Saturday, Minera Lumina sai...Read More
Eight of the nine Category 1 members of the London Metal Exchange have indicated their support for continuing to trade official lunchtime prices in the open-outcry ring.Does this mean that one company does not support ring trading? And could one of the exchange's members be preparing to leave the trading floor?The exchange revealed on Monday August 9 that it had majority support for the ring, in a...Read More
Domestic prices for cobalt metal in China have strengthened since mid-August despite weak downstream demand due to tightening supply and high production costsFastmarkets' price assessment for cobalt 99.8% Co min, ex-works China was at 360,000-383,000 yuan ($55,775-59,338) per tonne last Friday September 3, up by 3,000-5,000 yuan per tonne from 355,000-380,000 yuan per tonne on September 1. Prices...Read More
Inner Mongolia, China's ferro-chrome production heartland, has imposed restrictions on its metallurgical sector in a move that has fueled the high-carbon ferro-chrome markets in China and Europe, and although this may ease off, the gains were unlikely to be lost while alloy ramp-ups continue, sources have told Fastmarkets.The decision to restrict energy consumption in Inner Mongolia since December...Read More
Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...Read More
Import prices for rebar in Singapore continued to trend downward in the week to Monday September 6 amid ample spot supply and weak demand among buyers.A trader offered a position cargo of Indian rebar at $720 per tonne cfr Singapore on a theoretical weight basis during the week.Turkish rebar was offered at $720-725 per tonne cfr Singapore on a theoretical weight basis following a recent drop in sc...Read More
The European manganese alloys markets, currently trading around 13-year price highs, were likely to rise further - at least in the short term - due to firm fundamentals of tight availability and strong demand, Fastmarkets heard on Monday September 6.Other factors such as an acute shortage of shipping containers and record high freight rates were also making replacement costs very expensive, while...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices dropped over the past week amid weakening imported scrap values, market participants told Fastmarkets on Monday September 6.Turkish mills continued their deep-sea scrap purchases last week, albeit at a slow pace.Fastmarkets' index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), North Europe origin, cfr Turkey was calculated at $ 440.25 per tonne on Friday September 3,...Read More
As competition in the global steel markets remains fierce, Fastmarkets provides an update on the new, progressing and closed trade cases from around the world in August 2021.The case list below includes only updates. For other continuing cases this year, see the updates for January, February, March, April,...Read More
Ongoing steel production cuts in China could be extended beyond December to March 2022 to combat pollution during the winter heating season and in the lead-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, according to a notice sent to major market participants on Monday September 6.The notice, which is seeking feedback on a set of draft measures, said that mills in the key steelmaking belt of Beijing-Tianj...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 grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb at 23.50-24.40...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday September 3 that are worth another look.South American flat-rolled steel import prices decreased during the week ended Friday September 3, with material from countries other than China dominating the market and ahead of November-shipment negotiations.The global aluminium industry...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday September 3 that are worth another look.South American flat-rolled steel import prices decreased during the week ended Friday September 3, with material from countries other than China dominating the market and ahead of November-shipment negotiations.The global aluminium industry...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday September 3 that are worth another look.South American flat-rolled steel import prices decreased during the week ended Friday September 3, with material from countries other than China dominating the market and ahead of November-shipment negotiations.The global aluminium industry...Read More