Zinc gained more than 1% in morning trading on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday January 31, breaching technical support at its 100 DMA for the first time since July 2018 amid continued stock drawdowns and cancelations. Volumes were decent at more than 5,000 lots as of 10:00am London time, just behind copper's 5,800 lots. Easing tightness in zinc's cash/three-month spread, which has narrowed t...Read More
In Zhuzhou - former home of China's top zinc smelter - the skies aren't exactly blue, but they're starting to clear up. Today the city in Hunan province registered an air quality index of close to 250, regarded as "very unhealthy". Still, the index, which measures particulate matter PM2.5, was close to 280 at the same time last year. It was home to the Zhuzhou Smelter Group, the world's fifth larg...Read More
Bushveld Minerals Ltd increased annual revenues from vanadium mining by 142.7% in 2018 to $192.2 million on higher vanadium prices, the integrated South African producer announced on Wednesday January 30.However, the notably lower 32.9% increase between the third and fourth quarters, for fourth quarter revenues of $60.2 million, reflected vanadium prices coming off of a historic peak.For example,...Read More
US titanium producer Global Titanium, which is based in Detroit, Michigan, has suffered no impact to production after a fire at its plant earlier this month.The company, which has the capacity to make 10,000 tonnes per year of 70% grade (Ti) alloy and is one of the biggest ferro-titanium producers in the world, said the impact of the fire had only slowed production of fines. The fire on January 3...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices moved down on Thursday January 31 following more bookings done at slightly lower levels, sources told Fastmarkets.Four more bookings add to the 16 other bookings that have come to light this week. A steel mill in the Samsun region booked a US cargo comprising 28,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (90:10) and 6,000 tonnes of shredded at an average price of $316 per tonne cfr...Read More
European molybdenum prices rose this trading this week, with both molybdenum oxide and ferro-molybdenum prices paring almost all losses so far this year, with higher oxide offer prices behind the rise in the alloy market.Still, there were few deals reported and industry sources said there is a disparity between oxide fundamentals and those in ferro-molybdenum, casting doubt on the sustainability o...Read More
US titanium producer Global Titanium, which is based in Detroit, Michigan, has suffered no impact to production after a fire at its plant earlier this month.The company, which has the capacity to make 10,000 tonnes per year of 70% grade (Ti) alloy and is one of the biggest ferro-titanium producers in the world, said the impact of the fire had only slowed production of fines. The fire on January 3...Read More
Comex copper prices moved higher on Thursday morning in the United States, with an improving macroeconomic backdrop lifting the entire base metals complex.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 2.25 cents to $2.79 per lb. "The improved macroeconomic backdrop has provided risk sentiment with a good bullish vibe, allowing the red met...Read More
A dovish US Federal Reserve stance, a weaker dollar and a firmer Chinese yuan, which may indicate confidence in US-China trade talks, are all helping to underpin the three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange this morning, Thursday January 31.Lead and zinc prices led on the upside with gains of 0.6% and 0.5% respectively,followed by rises of 0.4% in tin, 0.3% in aluminium, 0.2% in...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil in Europe resumed their downward trend this week, but have now "reached the bottom," sources told Fastmarkets.Market participants said that prices moved down this week on slow trading because buyers have sufficient stocks.Demand, however, is expected to improve due to the restocking that is expected to start in February."Buyers will be maki...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices were unchanged on Thursday January 31, with few participants still active in both the domestic and export markets ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday next week.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,780-3,800 yuan ($563-566) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,720-3,740 yuan per tonne, unchangedA Shanghai-based trader said that his company sold a very smal...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in Europe have moved down slightly over the week due to slow trading, sources told Fastmarkets."Demand is weak as buyers have enough material in stocks," a Northern European source said.In the meantime, import offers of the material have increased, mainly due to higher prices for HRC in Turkey where steelmakers increased their offers due to highe...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday January 31 that are worth another look.United States President Donald Trump strengthened Buy America requirements for infrastructure in an executive order on Thursday January 31, in a potential boost to domestic iron, steel and aluminium industries, among others. Lawmakers in the United States have introduced legislat...Read More
Steel billet import prices in Egypt increased this week on higher offers, and the market is expecting rebar prices to increase as well, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday January 31.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $450-455 per tonne cfr on Thursday, rising from $425-440 per tonne cfr last week.Billet producers in the CIS were offering material to Egy...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices were unchanged for a fourth day on Thursday January 31, while export prices were also flat for a third due to little activity ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday next week. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,710-3,750 yuan ($552-558) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,700-3,740 yuan per tonne, unchangedTransactions were hard to come by during the day...Read More
The pig iron export market in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was confused by the opposing price directions taken by the raw materials and finished steel products markets during the week ended Thursday January 31.Fastmarkets' price assessment for CIS exports of high-manganese pig iron was $315-325 per tonne fob Black Sea on January 31, down from $320-330 per tonne a week before."The s...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices moved down on Thursday January 31 following more bookings done at slightly lower levels, sources told Fastmarkets.Four more bookings add to the 16 other bookings that have come to light this week. A steel mill in the Samsun region booked a US cargo comprising 28,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (90:10) and 6,000 tonnes of shredded at an average price of $316 per tonne cfr...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices jumped above $85 per tonne cfr China on Thursday January 31, with deals for Brazilian fines closing at higher levels after Vale's decision to reduce the output of its southern systems.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $85.34 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $2.81 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $86.18 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $2.81 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low...Read More
The price of billet in the Commonwealth of Independent States' (CIS) market moved up by the end of the week after customers in North Africa accepted higher levels in deals.A 50,000-tonne cargo of Russian billet - with increased manganese content - was reported sold to Algeria at $440 per tonne cfr, with freight cost assessed at $15 per tonne and additional manganese at $5 per tonne. This is normal...Read More
Steel billet import prices in Egypt increased this week on higher offers, and the market is expecting rebar prices to increase as well, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday January 31.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $450-455 per tonne cfr on Thursday, rising from $425-440 per tonne cfr last week.Billet producers in the CIS were offering material to Egy...Read More