The earlier uptick in the Chinese ammonium paratungstate (APT) price faltered in the week ended Friday December 14, while both European and Chinese ferro-tungsten markets were stable due to the end-of-year trading lull. APT fob price in China moved down due to low overseas buying interest amid falling prices in the domestic market. Chinese tungsten concentrate price unchanged. Ferro-tun...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 14 points in pre-opening trade. Futures responded to overnight news that the U.S and China will resume trade negotiations in early January. Investors are waiting for news from the FOMC meeting to be released at 2:00 PM EST. Consensus calls for a 0.25% increase in the Fed Fund rate to 2.50%. The Canadian Dollar added 0....Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Monday December 17, capped by broad strength in the US dollar index while investors remain cautious ahead of the the forthcoming Federal Reserve meeting in the United States. At this week's Fed meeting, a decision on further interest-rate rises is expected. Volumes traded over the day are moderately low, w...Read More
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is to hold a hearing on Tuesday December 18 to consider the approval of a settlement following an investigation into Katanga Mining Limited and several of its executives.The OSC inquiry has been investigating whether Katanga's previously filed periodic public disclosures contain statements that are misleading in a material respect, along with the adequacy of...Read More
The Comex copper price fell in morning trading on Monday December 17 amid quiet trading conditions and uncertainty surrounding the future of American monetary policy. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 2.70 cents to $2.7355 per lb. US market participants are awaiting the Federal Reserve's Wednesday decision on another rate hike. Glo...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Friday December 14.The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange shrugged off a net inflow of 57,525 tonnes today, mostly into warehouses in Port Klang, Malaysia.Aluminium traded at $1,923.50 on Friday morning down 0.4% from Thursday night's close. Friday's deliveries into Port Klang LME sheds foll...Read More
Alumina prices hitting a record high this year has changed the market's outlook for 2019, with traders adapting a cautiously bullish approach. The declaration of force majeure at Hydro's Alunorte refinery in Brazil, strikes by Alcoa workers in Australia and US sanctions against Russian producer UC Rusal roiled the market this year. Consequently, Fastmarkets' benchmark daily alumina index fob Austr...Read More
Copper smelters across Asia are following concentrate treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) terms agreed by Antofagasta and Jiangxi Copper, which are serving as a benchmark in contracts, sources taking part in the negotiations told Fastmarkets. In a deal signed in Shanghai in November, China's Jiangxi Copper agreed to purchase Los Pelambres and Centinela copper concentrates from Chilean miner...Read More
Treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for spot copper concentrate dropped in mid-December with fewer distressed cargoes circulating the market and participants beginning to price March cargoes.Spot activity in the copper concentrate market has slowed with market participants focused on settling the contractual terms for the first two weeks of December.Fastmarkets' copper concentrate index droppe...Read More
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is to hold a hearing on Tuesday December 18 to consider the approval of a settlement following an investigation into Katanga Mining Limited and several of its executives.The OSC inquiry has been investigating whether Katanga's previously filed periodic public disclosures contain statements that are misleading in a material respect, along with the adequacy of...Read More
United States-based specialty chemicals company Albemarle Corp has signed a deal that creates a joint venture with Mineral Resources Limited (MRL) to develop a battery-grade lithium hydroxide plant in Western Australia. The $1.15 billion agreement gives Albemarle a 50% stake in MRL's Wodgina hard rock lithium mine and will see the companies eventually develop an integrated lithium hydroxide operat...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained out of the deep-sea scrap markets because of weakening demand for finished steel and falling prices, sources said on Monday December 17.Although some suppliers in the Baltic region reduced their offers to $300-305 per tonne cfr levels for HMS 1&2 (80:20), mills in Turkey were not enticed."I heard offers from Baltic Sea are at $300 per tonne cfr and little above, bu...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have continued to slip lower in line with the falling finished steel prices over the past week, sources said on Monday December 17.Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for domestic auto bundle (DKP grade) ferrous scrap was TRY1,490-1,710 ($278-319) per tonne delivered, widening down from TRY1,590-1,710 per tonne on December 10.Several steel mills in the country cu...Read More
The Comex copper price fell in morning trading on Monday December 17 amid quiet trading conditions and uncertainty surrounding the future of American monetary policy. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 2.70 cents to $2.7355 per lb. US market participants are awaiting the Federal Reserve's Wednesday decision on another rate hike. Glo...Read More
The three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part little changed this morning, Monday December 17. The exception was zinc, the price of which was up by 1.3% at $2,565 per tonne. The three-month copper price was down by $1.50 per tonne at $6,139 per tonne.Volume across the complex has been above average with 6,271 lots traded as at 7.53am London time.The preciou...Read More
United States-based specialty chemicals company Albemarle Corp has signed a deal that creates a joint venture with Mineral Resources Limited (MRL) to develop a battery-grade lithium hydroxide plant in Western Australia. The $1.15 billion agreement gives Albemarle a 50% stake in MRL's Wodgina hard rock lithium mine and will see the companies eventually develop an integrated lithium hydroxide operat...Read More
The export market for flat steel products from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) remains weak because of low demand ahead of the end of the year, with buyers fearing further price falls early in 2019. Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for CIS-origin HRC exports was $450-470 per tonne fob Black Sea on Monday December 17, down from $460-475 per tonne fob a week ago."Suppliers [of H...Read More
Fastmarkets MB organized a North Africa Steel Summit on Thursday December 13 in Dubai, which immediately followed the Middle East Iron and Steel Conference.What follows are the main topics discussed at the summit by two key Egyptian speakers.1) Egypt has over 13 million tonnes per year of steel production capacity, which according to Nourhan Ashry, vice president at Ashry Steel - Egyptian tube and...Read More
Major Vietnamese integrated steel producer Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corp is undercutting international competitors with its new hot-rolled coil (HRC), billet and wire rod offers for February delivery and shipment.The company's hot-rolled products are being offered at very competitive levels to the domestic and regional markets, at either in line with prices for cargoes from international origins, or...Read More
Commonwealth of Independent States export rebar and wire rod prices dropped $10-20 per tonne in the week ended Monday December 17 due to a lack of demand and increased pressure from Turkish suppliers.The volume of the global rebar market has shrunk this year due to the snowball effect from tariffs imposed by the United States. This forced Turkish suppliers to increase their presence in the Middle...Read More