U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 4 points in pre-opening trade. Equity index futures moved lower following release of the August employment report at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus for August Non-farm Payrolls was 725,000 versus 943,000 in July. Actual was 235,000. Consensus for the August Unemployment Rate was 5.2% versus 5.4% in August. Actual was 5.2%. Con...Read More
The 300-series stainless scrap market in the United States has picked up momentum, with processors already looking ahead to anticipated strong demand in the fourth quarter; meanwhile, 400-series prices increased despite expectations that ferrous scrap prices could fall this month."There is still a decent appetite for stainless scrap, but processors are being more conservative with pricing until mi...Read More
Following a one-month consultation, Fastmarkets is updating the wording of its Metals & Mining assessment methodologies to provide greater clarity around how its prices are determined. The wording refinements do not materially alter the way Fastmarkets Metals & Mining assesses prices and as such are not anticipated to result in any noticeable changes in Fastmarkets' assessment price levels or beha...Read More
Turkish steel producers made no new scrap bookings on Tuesday August 31, however a deal from the previous Friday came to light, which lowered prices, market participants said.The European-origin cargo was heard late on August 27, after the closing of the daily indices, and was followed by a public holiday in both Turkey and the United Kingdom on August 30.The cargo was booked by a steel mill in th...Read More
Suppliers in China's domestic spot ferro-chrome market lowered their offer prices in the week to Tuesday August 31 after Tsingshan reduced its September ferro-chrome tender price by 800 yuan ($124) per tonne the week before.As a result, Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome, spot, 6-8% C, basis 50% Cr, ddp China, fell by 600 yuan per tonne (5.7%) to 9,800-10,200 yuan ($1,517-1,579) per to...Read More
Turkish steel producers made no new scrap bookings on Tuesday August 31, however a deal from the previous Friday came to light, which lowered prices, market participants said.The European-origin cargo was heard late on August 27, after the closing of the daily indices, and was followed by a public holiday in both Turkey and the United Kingdom on August 30.The cargo was booked by a steel mill in th...Read More
Suppliers in China's domestic spot ferro-chrome market lowered their offer prices in the week to Tuesday August 31 after Tsingshan reduced its September ferro-chrome tender price by 800 yuan ($124) per tonne the week before.As a result, Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome, spot, 6-8% C, basis 50% Cr, ddp China, fell by 600 yuan per tonne (5.7%) to 9,800-10,200 yuan ($1,517-1,579) per to...Read More
Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe remained steady on Wednesday September 1, and trading remained thin ahead of a possible downward trend, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium) domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,400-1,430 ($1,654-1,690) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.With market participants returning after the sum...Read More
The low-carbon ferro-chrome market in Europe surged to a new multi-year high in the week ended Tuesday August 31, with export taxes and tight supply driving up prices.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome 0.10% C, average 65-70% Cr, delivered Europe, rose to $2.73-3.05 per lb Cr on Tuesday, up by 15-35 cents per lb (9.5%) from $2.38-2.90 per lb Cr on August 17."The low-carbon ferro-chrome...Read More
Steel rebar prices in Northern Europe inched down from historical highs in the week to Wednesday September 1, but sources expect the market to hold steady in September due to resuming construction activity and limited imports, sources told Fastmarkets.Trading activity in the region has not fully recovered from the holiday lull but the outlook for September is quite positive, sources said."Construc...Read More
Chile's state-owned copper producer Codelco has removed the threat of strike action by signing a final labor deal with the unions representing employees at its El Teniente division.The new terms of the labor agreement will be in place until the end of 2024, the company said on Tuesday August 31.Codelco had reached an agreement with the El Teniente and Caletones unions on August 28, but the deal no...Read More
Following a one-month consultation, Fastmarkets is updating the wording of its Metals & Mining assessment methodologies to provide greater clarity around how its prices are determined. The wording refinements do not materially alter the way Fastmarkets Metals & Mining assesses prices and as such are not anticipated to result in any noticeable changes in Fastmarkets' assessment price levels or beha...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Dalila Ouerghi and...Read More
The low-carbon ferro-chrome market in Europe surged to a new multi-year high in the week ended Tuesday August 31, with export taxes and tight supply driving up prices.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome 0.10% C, average 65-70% Cr, delivered Europe, rose to $2.73-3.05 per lb Cr on Tuesday, up by 15-35 cents per lb (9.5%) from $2.38-2.90 per lb Cr on August 17."The low-carbon ferro-chrome...Read More
Following a one-month consultation, Fastmarkets is updating the wording of its Metals & Mining assessment methodologies to provide greater clarity around how its prices are determined. The wording refinements do not materially alter the way Fastmarkets Metals & Mining assesses prices and as such are not anticipated to result in any noticeable changes in Fastmarkets' assessment price levels or beha...Read More
Aluminium producer Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) plans to expand its production of sustainable aluminium, according to Salman Abdulla, executive vice president of health, safety, sustainability, environment, fire and rescue, quality, and business transformation.The company said in February that it would supply 43,000 tonnes per year of CelestiAL aluminium to BMW Group. EGA has supplied meta...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday September 1.Please click...Read More
Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade does not see any grounds for the extension of export duties for steel and non-ferrous metals into 2022, according to the deputy minister Viktor Evtukhov."I do not forecast any export duties for the next year. I do not see any grounds for that because prices started to decline and markets are cooling down, Evtukhov said on the sidelines of a panel discussion...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were generally weaker on the morning of Wednesday September 1, in the face of further evidence of a slowdown in manufacturing activity. Chicago's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 66.8 in August from 73.4 in July China's Caixin manufacturing PMI also showed contraction with a fall to 49.2 in August,...Read More
Most base metals traded lower in the morning session on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday September 1, following the release of manufacturing data from the United States and China that point to cooling economies, particularly China.The Chicago manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 66.8 in August from 73.4 in July, while China's Caixin manufacturing PMI fell to 49.2 in August,...Read More