Wire rod prices remain flat in the United States for both domestic and imported material, although downward pressure has emerged in January from declining raw material costs and weakening demand. Fastmarkets' assessment for industrial quality low-carbon rod held at $39.25-41.25 per hundredweight ($785-825 per short ton) fob mill on Tuesday January 15, with imported wire rod steady at $74...Read More
Prices for hollow steel sections in Europe moved down on Wednesday January 16, to the surprise of some market participants.Fastmarkets' domestic price assessment for commodity-size, grade-S235 square hollow sections made in Northern Europe narrowed downward by ?,?5 per tonne to ?,?635-645 ($726-738) delivered on January 16, from ?,?635-650 per tonne delivered on January 9.This was the first time t...Read More
The deep-sea scrap suppliers to Turkish steel mills were trying to increase their offer prices because collection costs were rising with the worsening winter conditions, sources said on Wednesday January 16.But Turkish steel producers were still struggling with weak demand for their finished steel products in the country's export and domestic markets."The scrap suppliers in the United States have...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices increased moderately on Wednesday January 16 amid active offering on platforms.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $74.31 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.53 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $74.45 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.53 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $76.05 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.55 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $65.74 per tonne cfr...Read More
View the Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule for 2019 and 2020. Click on the image below to view the Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule for base metals, minors, ores & alloys and industrial minerals, and ferrous prices for 2019 and 2020.If you have any questions about Fastmarkets' pricing calendar, please contact Fastmarkets global base metals editor Perrine Faye at perrine.faye@fastmarkets.com...Read More
The gap between offers and bids in the export market for steel billet in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) started to widen this week, with mills gradually trying to increase offers on reduced material availability.New offers were heard within the range of $405-415 per tonne fob Black Sea, depending on the mill and shipment time.Mills offering material for late-February and March shipme...Read More
Iranian export billet prices continued to decrease in the week ended Wednesday January 16, with new bookings and offers reported at lower prices.A major reason for the continuing downtrend was the reduced availability of vessels willing to call at Iranian ports, which made freight prices from Iran soar.The underlying cause for this was the regime of sanctions imposed by the United States on intern...Read More
View the Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule for 2019 and 2020. Click on the image below to view the Fastmarkets holiday pricing schedule for base metals, minors, ores & alloys and industrial minerals, and ferrous prices for 2019 and 2020.If you have any questions about Fastmarkets' pricing calendar, please contact Fastmarkets global base metals editor Perrine Faye at perrine.faye@fastmarkets.com...Read More
Prices for hollow steel sections in Europe moved down on Wednesday January 16, to the surprise of some market participants.Fastmarkets' domestic price assessment for commodity-size, grade-S235 square hollow sections made in Northern Europe narrowed downward by ?,?5 per tonne to ?,?635-645 ($726-738) delivered on January 16, from ?,?635-650 per tonne delivered on January 9.This was the first time t...Read More
Definitive measures in the safeguard case into imported steel in the EU "do not take into account the needs of downstream users of steel, such as the automotive sector," the European Automobile Manufacturers' Assn (ACEA) said on Wednesday January 16.The EU member states voted on Wednesday to support the proposal for definitive measures in the region's safeguard investigation into imported steel.Th...Read More
The EU member states have voted on Wednesday January 16 to support the proposal of definitive measures in the region's safeguard case into imported steel, according to the European Commission (EC).The EC will now finalise the procedure, so that the definitive measures can come into force at the start of February 2019. The measures will remain in place until July 2021.The EC notified the World Trad...Read More
From 2019, Chinese central government regulators will begin a new round of environmental protection inspections in the country's metals and mining industry, which will take about four years to complete.The affected regions include all 31 provinces - including districts and cities - in China that were included in an earlier round of environmental inspections that took place over the past three year...Read More
The price for rebar produced and delivered in Northern Europe stayed flat on Wednesday January 9, although the European Commission's recent proposal for 2019 steel import tariffs has removed some of the uncertainty in the market. Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Northern Europe remained at $540-560 ($618-641) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, with no new deals reporte...Read More
Asian steel markets are in for another tumultuous year judging by the rate at which new developments are expected to spring up in 2019.China remains the center of interest, and rightly so, because its economic and governmental policies have cascading effects on the international steel market.While its progressive economic policies have served it well in sustaining its domestic steel sector in the...Read More
The gap between offers and bids in the export market for steel billet in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) started to widen this week, with mills gradually trying to increase offers on reduced material availability.New offers were heard within the range of $405-415 per tonne fob Black Sea, depending on the mill and shipment time.Mills offering material for late-February and March shipme...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Prices for hollow steel sections in Europe moved down on Wednesday January 16, to the surprise of some market participants.Fastmarkets' domestic price assessment for commodity-size, grade-S235 square hollow sections made in Northern Europe narrowed downward by ?,?5 per tonne to ?,?635-645 ($726-738) delivered on January 16, from ?,?635-650 per tonne delivered on January 9.This was the first time t...Read More
Tin premiums in both Europe and China held firm in the week ended Tuesday January 15 despite mounting concerns over continued delays to Indonesian exports, while premiums in the United States moved higher for the first time since June 2018, with low stocks and a widening backwardation adding upward pressure to premiums. European market considers alternative supply solutions US market beginn...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday January 16 that are worth another look.European Union member states on Wednesday January 16 voted to support proposed definitive measures in the region's safeguard case into imported steel, the European Commission said.Hebei Steel, China's largest steel mill, cut its monthly purchase price for silico-manganese for a...Read More
Comex copper prices increased on Wednesday morning in the United States amid positive tailwinds from the Chinese stimulus news.Comex copper prices increased Wednesday morning in the US amid positive tailwinds from the Chinese stimulus news.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange climbed 3.10 to $2.6655 per lb.On Tuesday, China signaled its in...Read More