The Indian domestic steel billet price fell by 600 rupees ($8) per tonne in the week to Friday December 14, but demand remained weak despite major price cuts in long and semi-finished products.The price for Indian domestic billet stood at 31,000-31,200 rupees ($434-436) per tonne ex-mill on December 14, a drop of 600 rupees week on week from 31,600-31,800 rupees per tonne on December 7, accor...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices rose on Friday December 14 as trading activity picked up. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,800-3,840 yuan ($552-558) per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,560-3,590 yuan per tonne, up 50 yuan per tonneBillet and futures moved steadily upward during today's trading session, leading to higher buying interest.Some end users raised procu...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for rebar, wire rod, steel beams and other long steel products. Latest transactions: rebarRebar Ukraine, export, rebar, offered at $460 per tonne fob Black Sea.Ukraine, export, rebar,...Read More
Global ferrous scrap prices fell by $5 per tonne or less during the week ending Friday December 14 following a period of quieter trading.The Turkish market witnessed another week with no new cargoes booked, leaving prices virtually unchanged, while US prices were flat, which was also due to a lack of fresh trades.India made no bookings but prices fell by $5, as did prices for Taiwan and Vietnam.Tu...Read More
Turkish steel producers have ended another week without making any deep-sea purchases because of the continued lack of demand for finished steel in the country's domestic and export markets, sources said on Friday December 14.Domestic mills have been holding back from scrap purchases for three weeks now, with only one cargo booked since November 23, which was a European cargo at an average price o...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices surged above the $70 per tonne cfr mark on Friday December 14 amid bullish trading in both physical and futures markets.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $70.74 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $3.09 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $70.54 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $3.62 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $72.17 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $1.29 per tonne.MB 58%...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices rose on Friday December 14 as trading activity picked up. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,800-3,840 yuan ($552-558) per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,560-3,590 yuan per tonne, up 50 yuan per tonneBillet and futures moved steadily upward during today's trading session, leading to higher buying interest.Some end users raised procu...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday December 14. China The domestic ferro-chrome spot price was unchanged from last week after sellers were heard to have become unwilling to cut their prices further because the current price level has left them limited room for profits. The imported charge chrome market was lackluster. Sel...Read More
Stainless steel prices in Europe fell in the week to Friday December 14, with slow trading increasing the competition between distributors, sources told Fastmarkets."Distributors still have high stocks, and destocking did not go as fast as planned for the majority of the buyers, so competition has been rather strong," a trader said.From the end of next week until the first week...Read More
Aluminium foundry premiums were on divergent paths this month, with the US premium boosted by tight supply and European premiums continuing to tumble. The foundry premium in Eastern Europe fell for the second month in a row. Demand in the automotive sector has been poor, and foundry is used in the production of alloy wheels.Fastmarkets assessed the Eastern European premium at $370-410 per tonne on...Read More
Liberty House has completed the acquisition of Rio Tinto's Dunkerque aluminium smelter in France for around $500 million. Part of the UK-based GFG Alliance, Liberty House said on Friday December 14 that the completion of the deal will add 285,000 tonnes per year to its aluminium capacity. The smelter, which is Europe's number one producer of aluminium, will be renamed ...Read More
South American flat steel import prices increased this week after traders were able to sell at higher levels following an easing of the recent downtrend in China. The rapid descent in Chinese steel prices has slowed in recent days, with buyers in South America starting to accept higher offer prices, one market source said. But market participants said there were no indications of whether Chinese p...Read More
Base metals on the London Metal Exchange closed lower on Friday December 12, with a higher dollar and stock increases putting pressure on prices.Aluminium closed at a slightly lower $1,926 per tonne - a 57,000-tonne delivery into LME-listed warehouses this morning ruled out a move back towards $2,000 per tonne.The three-month copper price also closed slightly lower than Thursday's closing level at...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
Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday December 14.Base metals traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were all down during Asian morning trading on Friday, weighed down by weak economic data from China and a firmer dollar of late.Check Fastmarkets MB's live futures report here.Dutch bank Rabobank, international trading firm...Read More
Tianqi's recent purchase of a stake in SQM is the latest in a series of deals showing how participants at different stages of the supply chain are opting to strengthen their position through vertical partnerships. Meanwhile, consumers are keen to lock in feedstock supply through offtake agreements. The global lithium industry is growing rapidly, but at the same time competition is consolidating, w...Read More
Base metals on the London Metal Exchange closed lower on Friday December 12, with a higher dollar and stock increases putting pressure on prices.Aluminium closed at a slightly lower $1,926 per tonne - a 57,000-tonne delivery into LME-listed warehouses this morning ruled out a move back towards $2,000 per tonne.The three-month copper price also closed slightly lower than Thursday's closing level at...Read More
Comex copper prices weakened in morning trading on Friday December 14 after a release of softer Chinese industrial data, placing stress on the base metals complex.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped by 1.85 cents to $2.7485 per lb.Analysts said weaker Chinese economic data was pressuring the base metals complex as a whole this...Read More
The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange shrugged off a net inflow of 57,525 tonnes on Friday December 14, mostly into warehouses in Port Klang.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 follows a 24,875 tonne delivery on Thursday and 23,925 tonnes oin Monday, both to the same area.Th...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More