Indian domestic secondary billet prices rose by at least 600 rupees ($9) per tonne over the past week on sustained buying by long product makers and improved trading.Fastmarkets MB assessed the Indian secondary billet price at 31,200-31,400 rupees ($446-449) per tonne ex-mill on Thursday December 27 - an increase of 600 rupees per tonne compared with 30,600-30,800 rupees...Read More
Large investment into construction, power and transport in North Africa will support further steel demand growth in the region but not significantly, Fastmarkets heard at the 22nd Middle East Iron and Steel Conference in Dubai on December 10-12.In North Africa, there are major infrastructure projects - either under construction or still in the planning stages - with investment totaling close to $6...Read More
China's rebar prices were flat on Friday December 28 in both the domestic and the export market,even though futures saw slight gains. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,760-3,800 yuan ($547-553) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,630-3,670 yuan per tonne, unchangedTrading activity was slow ahead of the year end. Weaker futures also resulted in participants taking a wa...Read More
Global ferrous scrap prices were mostly little-changed during the week ended Friday December 28 due to illiquid spot trading. The thin liquidity was caused by the year-end holiday season, when most market participants had already left the spot market for their vacations. Key import markets such as Turkey, Taiwan and Vietnam did not see many negotiations for ferrous scrap. Demand is expected t...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India continued on a downward trend due to the year-end demand lull, market participants said on Friday December 28.Fastmarkets MB's weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was calculated at $325.74 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on December 28, down from $331.98 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on December 21. "There are limited pa...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import markets continued to be quiet at the end of the week amid the holiday period, sources said on Friday December 28.Offers for HMS 1&2 (80:20) were reported around $290 per tonne cfr from European suppliers, while offers from other sources were at around $295-300 per...Read More
Steel billet prices in the major global markets remained either unchanged or continued to decline during the week to Friday December 28 amid the year-end trading lull and persistent weakness in finished long-steel markets.AsiaImport prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia remained flat week on week due to sparse offers, bids and transactions amid the year-end holiday season, with the most recent...Read More
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) export slab prices slipped by another $15 per tonne over the week ended Friday December 28 due to the weak fundamentals in the CIS finished flat-steel market and the end-user market.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for CIS-origin slab was $400-405 per fob Black Sea on December 28, down from $415-420 per tonne fob a week earlier.A customer in Turkey was...Read More
China's rebar prices were flat on Friday December 28 in both the domestic and the export market,even though futures saw slight gains. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,760-3,800 yuan ($547-553) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,630-3,670 yuan per tonne, unchangedTrading activity was slow ahead of the year end. Weaker futures also resulted in participants taking a wa...Read More
Global ferrous scrap prices were mostly little-changed during the week ended Friday December 28 due to illiquid spot trading. The thin liquidity was caused by the year-end holiday season, when most market participants had already left the spot market for their vacations. Key import markets such as Turkey, Taiwan and Vietnam did not see many negotiations for ferrous scrap. Demand is expected t...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India continued on a downward trend due to the year-end demand lull, market participants said on Friday December 28.Fastmarkets MB's weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was calculated at $325.74 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on December 28, down from $331.98 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on December 21. "There are limited pa...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the close of trading on Friday December 28, with most of the complex trading in narrow ranges while both lead and tin futures climbed more than 1% over the afternoon.Lead's three-month price was the best performer over the afternoon, climbing 1.5% and trading at its highest level since October 17. By contrast, zinc's three-month pr...Read More
Steel billet prices in the major global markets remained either unchanged or continued to decline during the week to Friday December 28 amid the year-end trading lull and persistent weakness in finished long-steel markets.AsiaImport prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia remained flat week on week due to sparse offers, bids and transactions amid the year-end holiday season, with the most recent...Read More
Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday December 28.Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly up during Asian morning trading on Friday, with weakness in the dollar buoying most of the complex.Check Fastmarkets MB's live futures report here. The Chinese antimony market showed signs of softening in...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday December 28.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower at the close of trading on Thursday, capped by a sharp downturn in global stock indices while quiet trading continues to keep volumes low. Read more here in our live futures report.Here is how prices looked at the most-recent close of trading on Thur...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the close of trading on Friday December 28, with most of the complex trading in narrow ranges while both lead and tin futures climbed more than 1% over the afternoon.Lead's three-month price was the best performer over the afternoon, climbing 1.5% and trading at its highest level since October 17. By contrast, zinc's three-month pr...Read More
Glencore-owned Access World has delisted eight of its LME-registered warehouses this week, according to a notice to members on Friday December 28, continuing its move beyond LME storage amid its company-wide diversification strategy. Access World delisted four of its warehouses in Chicago yesterday, leaving just one remaining in the region, and has since delisted two sheds in Singapore and two mor...Read More
Chinese iron ore buyers continued to take caution on Friday December 28, the last trading day for most market participants in 2018.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $72.73 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $1.25 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.56 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $1.25 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $74.12 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.56 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Premium...Read More
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) export slab prices slipped by another $15 per tonne over the week ended Friday December 28 due to the weak fundamentals in the CIS finished flat-steel market and the end-user market.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for CIS-origin slab was $400-405 per fob Black Sea on December 28, down from $415-420 per tonne fob a week earlier.A customer in Turkey was...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import markets continued to be quiet at the end of the week amid the holiday period, sources said on Friday December 28.Offers for HMS 1&2 (80:20) were reported around $290 per tonne cfr from European suppliers, while offers from other sources were at around $295-300 per...Read More