China's domestic rebar prices rebounded slightly on Wednesday February 27 with buyers picking up the pace of their procurement. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,750-3,800 yuan ($560-567) per tonne, up 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,750-3,790 yuan per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneAn improvement in weather conditions in eastern China has allowed more construction projects to resta...Read More
Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Wednesday February 27* Copper -$192.16 (-1,288.92 yuan) Aluminium -$342.51 (-2,297.47 yuan) Zinc -$137.31 (-921.02 yuan) Nickel -$251.12 (-1,684.45 yuan) *Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Wednesday February 27:Minor metalsAntimony MB Chinese free market MMTA standard grade II, yuan/tonne: 47,500-48,500 yuan per tonne from 48,500-49,500 yuanBismuth MB free market, $/lb: $3.60-4.00 per lb from $3.70-4.20Cadmium MB free market min 99.99%, cents/lb: 137-146 per lb from 137-145Cobalt MB free...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday February 27 pricing session in Europe.Key drivers - Persistent supply worries involving a major supplier prompted short-covering and is expected to propel prices higher in the weeks to come. Ferro-titanium producers and traders have been getting more buying interest from Europe and the United States. With one producer typically offering at least 350 tonnes per month to...Read More
Following reports of a potential power shortage in one of China's major ferro-alloy production hubs in the second quarter of this year, market participants have downplayed any immediate impact on ferro-alloy prices in the country, saying they intend to adopt a wait-and-see stance in the run up to April.The city of Ulanqab in China's autonomous region of Inner Mongolia is expected to experience a s...Read More
The following Fastmarkets UK non-ferrous scrap and foundry ingot prices changed on Wednesday February 27:Aluminium ingotLM24 pressure diecasting ingot: ?1,380-1,440 per tonne from...Read More
A drop in China’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) to 49.2 in February, from 49.5 in January, has set a weaker tone across markets with base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange mostly lower and down by an average of 0.3% in the morning of Thursday February 28. Copper and zinc prices led on the downside with losses of 0.7%, with copper recently quoted at $6,473 per to...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 4 points in pre-opening trade.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news at 8:30 AM EST. Consensus for Weekly Jobless Claims was 220,000 versus 216,000 last week. Actual was 225,000. Consensus for first estimate for U.S. fourth quarter real GDP was growth at a 2.4% rate versus growth at...Read More
A drop in China’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) to 49.2 in February, from 49.5 in January, has set a weaker tone across markets with base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange mostly lower and down by an average of 0.3% in the morning of Thursday February 28. Copper and zinc prices led on the downside with losses of 0.7%, with copper recently quoted at $6,473 per to...Read More
Global aluminium premiums were little changed this week, with good support from steady market conditions, but premiums in South Korea moved higher due to low levels of inventory. European traders happy to hold metalSouth Korean premiums move up on tight inventoryImport uptrend and domestic discounts in BrazilUS premiums steady. Contango still supporting European premiumsLondon Metal Exchange price...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday February 26.Please click...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher at the close of trading on Tuesday February 26, with positive trade rhetoric in US-China trade talks lending support to commodity investment, while US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell signaled slower but strong US economic growth. Copper's three-month price continues to hold ground near the $6,500-per-tonne level against a backd...Read More
The process to resume full production at Hydro's Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil has hit a further setback, after an accident with an iron ore tailings dam at a mine from Vale prompted a round of inspections throughout the country, sources told Fastmarkets. Market participants do not expect the Brazilian refinery to resume normal operations anytime soon. Traders and producers initially expecte...Read More
Chinese ferro-vanadium exporters continued to raise their offer levels last week after prices were bolstered by strength in the country's domestic market, while the European ferro-vanadium market tumbled amid sluggish spot activity. Chinese exporters increase offers following domestic market strength European FeV market softens on weak spot demand European V2O5 flat amid limited trading activity...Read More
In contrast to the clear skies outside, a cloud hung over discussions among Indian scrap traders attending the opening session of the annual conference of the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) earlier this month in Kochi, southern India.Secretary-general Amar Singh praised the superior air quality in the host city, compared with the metropolises of New Delhi and Mumbai. But delegates...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued holding back from the deep-sea scrap markets on Tuesday February 26 because of the weak demand for their finished steel products in the country's domestic and export markets.The steel producers in the country went quiet at the end of last week after booking a Baltic Sea cargo, which sent prices down by $20 per tonne week on week."Turkish producers are not in very...Read More
From Tuesday February 26, Fastmarkets will update the normalization coefficients of the Turkey and Rotterdam ferrous scrap indices once per month instead of once per quarter. The indices to which this proposed change relates are the HMS 1&2 (80:20), Northern Europe-origin material, cfr Turkey index; the HMS 1&2 (80:20), USA-origin material, cfr Turkey index; and the HMS 1&2 (80:20), Nort...Read More
After recent strong performances by the base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, most prices started to consolidate at the beginning of the week and are down an average of 0.3% this morning, Tuesday February 26.Copper and tin prices have been the strongest on the upside in recent weeks, with warrant cancellations in copper tightening up liquidity on the LME copper contract, while further s...Read More
Lithium producer share price weakness is a reflection of the supply response that started in 2018, head of base metals and battery materials research William Adams said.Lithium producers' share prices have generally been under pressure since late 2017. In the chart below, producers' share prices are up 15% on average from their 52-week low price. We see this as a reflection of the supply response...Read More