Fastmarkets has amended the specifications for its three pig-iron price assessments in the United States and Brazil to reflect the existing market conditions.Following a month-long market consultation, the US and Brazilian pig iron prices have been amended to include the chemical compositions into the specifications to specify the phosphorous content of the pig iron, while payment terms and timing...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreVale, Global Ore, 170,000 tonnes of 62% Fe Brazilian Blend fines, sold at the February average of the...Read More
There was thin spot trading in many parts of Asia, with most market participants having already exited the market for the year-end holidays.There were limited bids and offers in the key import markets of Taiwan and Vietnam.There was some talk among market participants that the supply of Japanese ferrous scrap is facing some tightness because many domestic and regional mills want to secure the...Read More
Participants in the seaborne coking coal market are keeping a close eye on Chinese buying activity while they gauge the raw material's price direction in the New Year.A small cargo of premium mid-vol material changed hands at $203 per tonne cfr China, market sources said on Friday December 28.Earlier in the day, an offer for premium hard coking coal material was heard at $198 per tonne cfr China,...Read More
The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Friday December 28:Minor metalsBismuth MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 47,500-49,500 yuan per tonne from 47,000-49,500 yuanCobalt MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 340,000-360,000 yuan...Read More
An overview of the Chinese minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves. See also:2018 REVIEW: Eight things that changed in the minor...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower at the close of trading on Thursday December 27, capped by a sharp downturn in global stock indices while quiet trading continues to keep volumes low. Downward pressure manifested itself the most in aluminium futures over the afternoon, with the metal's three-month price dropping to its lowest level since July 2017 at $1,852....Read More
Comex copper prices softened during morning trading in the United States amid persistent worries over an upcoming recession or an escalation in the ongoing trade war between America and China.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 3.15 to $2.6685 per lb."Metals markets are more fixated on recession jitters and continued...Read More
Feeding and trial production at Zhuzhou Smelter's new zinc project located in Shuikoushan, Hunan province started on December 26, Fastmarkets MB learned. The project has a 300,000-tonne-per-year zinc capacity smelter, which is replacing the company's closed 450,000-tpy capacity facility in Zhuzhou, also located in Hunan province."We started feeding on December 26, and plan to ramp-up the productio...Read More
Feeding and trial production at Zhuzhou Smelter's new zinc project located in Shuikoushan, Hunan province started on December 26, Fastmarkets MB learned. The project has a 300,000-tonne-per-year zinc capacity smelter, which is replacing the company's closed 450,000-tpy capacity facility in Zhuzhou, also located in Hunan province."We started feeding on December 26, and plan to ramp-up the productio...Read More
The latest ferro-tungsten and ammonium paratungstate (APT) transactions, bids, offers and assessments in Europe, Vietnam and China, with blue tungsten oxide (BTO) and yellow tungsten oxide (YTO) deals taken into consideration.To view the latest price assessments, please follow the links below:China- APT, fob China- Ferro-tungsten, fob China Europe- APT, cif Rotterdam - Ferro-tungsten, in-warehouse...Read More
The Chinese antimony market showed signs of softening in the week ended Wednesday December 26 after some domestic suppliers began to cut their offer prices in an attempt to entice buyers to do business and generate cash before the end of the year.Fastmarkets' price quotation for MMTA standard grade-II antimony, delivered duty-paid in China, stood at 49,000-49,500 yuan ($7,108-7,180) per tonne on D...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market remained mostly quiet on Thursday December 27 due to the holiday period being observed in most regions.Although there were offers available between $290 per tonne and $300 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20) from various sources, the mills in Turkey were still looking for prices below $280 per tonne...Read More
Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia remained flat on Thursday December 27 due to sparse offers, bids and transactions amid the year-end holiday season.Fastmarkets' daily import price assessment for billet in Southeast Asia was $460-462 per tonne cfr Manila on December 27, unchanged for the sixth consecutive day.One cargo from the Russian Far East was sold to the Philippines at $462 pe...Read More
Comex copper prices softened during morning trading in the United States amid persistent worries over an upcoming recession or an escalation in the ongoing trade war between America and China.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 3.15 to $2.6685 per lb."Metals markets are more fixated on recession jitters and continued...Read More
Most flat steel import prices in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) decreased over the past week due to lower offers, sources said on Thursday December 27.Demand was subdued because stock levels in the UAE are already high and the market wants to see how the steel market will be in 2019, sources told Fastmarkets MB. UAE Chinese offers for hot-rolled coil (HRC) into the UAE were around...Read More
Some participants have started to bet China's export hot-rolled coil prices will drop following declines in the domestic market amid sparse trading on Thursday December 27.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,700-3,730 yuan ($537-541) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,640-3,660 yuan per tonne, widening downward 10 yuan per tonneAlthough prices in Shanghai&n...Read More
China's ferrous futures retreated during morning trading on Thursday December 27, that despite opening about 1-2% above Wednesday's settlement levels.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,410 yuan ($495) per tonne, down 54 yuan per tonne May hot rolled coil: 3,322 yuan per tonne, down 77 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 488 yuan per to...Read More
The domestic rebar price in Turkey have continued to weaken in line with poor demand, sources said on Thursday December 27.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Turkey was TRY2,750-2,900 ($520-548) per tonne ex-works, down from TRY2,820-2,850 per tonne, including 18% VAT, last week.Local rebar prices in the Izmir and...Read More
The Turkish rebar and wire rod export markets remained weak over the past week due to the year-end holidays and limited demand, with no recovery expected in the coming weeks, sources said on Thursday December 27.Turkish steel mills continued to offer rebar for export at $450-460 per tonne fob on an actual weight basis, yet there were no takers for those offers.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment...Read More