Base metals prices, bar those for zinc, on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly lower during Asian morning trading on Thursday December 6, with lingering concerns surrounding the trade tensions between the United States and China causing prices to soften.Despite positive trade headlines on Wednesday, an uptick in tensions overnight and lingering fears that the ongoing trade war between the t...Read More
Trade log for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China including trades, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per tonne on an ex-works China basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets price assessment for lithium carbonate min 99.5% Li2CO3 battery grade, spot price range, ex-works China, yuan per tonne. Fastmar...Read More
Lower lithium prices than a year ago have led to differing price expectations between producers and consumers of lithium compounds in their negotiations for 2019 supply contracts. In light of lower spot prices in China, lithium consumers are seeking to lock in lower contract prices for 2019 by referencing the Chinese spot market price in their deals. But lithium producers are trying to keep prices...Read More
Trade log for cobalt sulfate in China including transactions, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets MB.Unless otherwise stated, all prices are yuan per tonne on an ex-works basis. In addition, the cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, China ex-works, adjustment to the low-grade cobalt low-end price at Co 20.5% basis is on a $ per lb basis. Fastmarkets MB prices Click here for Fastmarket MB's price asses...Read More
The European hot-rolled coil market has been under pressure from slow trading and prices are likely to reach the 'bottom' soon, sources told Fastmarkets this week.Demand has been low due to a combination of a seasonal slowdown and high stocks at European distributors. Interest in imported coil has been limited due to long lead times and uncertainty over the definitive decision in a...Read More
Demand for flat steel in Turkey is expected to remain slow throughout December, and export demand was not strong because of seasonal reasons, but prices are not expected to fall because they did so in November, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday December 6.Local producers have filled their order books until late January, they said.The price falls in November resulted in part from wea...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices were mixed on Thursday December 6 due to differing levels of demand between the major markets, while a shipment that was sold at an unexpectedly low range weighed on the export segment.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,750-3,780 yuan ($547-551) per tonne, up 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,610-3,620 yuan per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonne...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday December 7.Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange were collectively lower at the close of trading on Thursday December 6, with downward pressure emerging across global equity indices in addition to a sharp downturn in oil futures, which trickled through to metals. Read more in our live futures.Here are how prices looked...Read More
Turkey's long steel export prices have continued to weaken due to a lack of demand and a downturn in Asian markets, sources said on Thursday December 6.Only a few rebar cargoes were heard selling to Europe at $475-480 per tonne fob on an actual weight basis."The demand is still very weak. I only heard a small cargo was...Read More
The Turkish domestic long-steel markets have continued to struggle with limited demand over the past week, sources said on Thursday December 6.Buyers expected prices to go down further and are holding back from purchases, market participants said. While the winter conditions were also said to be keeping buyers out of the market, Fastmarkets was...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market was quiet on Thursday December 6, following a sharp price drop recorded the day before.A steel mill in the Marmara region on Wednesday booked a European cargo comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (75:25), 12,500 tonnes of a mixture of plate and structural (P&S) and HMS 1, 5,000 tonnes of shredded and 2,500 tonnes...Read More
Vale will buy Brazilian privately-owned Ferrous Resources Ltd as part of its "bolt-on acquisitions" strategy, it said on Thursday December 6. The world's largest iron ore producer will buy the small miner for $550 million, the company said. Ferrous Resources operates iron ore mines close to Vale's own assets in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, with sales volumes of 3 million tonnes in 2017...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices slipped on Thursday December 6, with futures and swaps markets weakening, while buyers remained cautious over big tonnages.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $66.59 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.79 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $65.86 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.79 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $70.13 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $1.08 per tonn...Read More
Iranian export billet and slab prices continued to fall this week, in line with the global downtrend and with sanctions pushing suppliers to lower their offers to try and attact customers.Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for Iranian export billet price was $405-410 per tonne fob on Wednesday October 5, down by $10 per tonne week on...Read More
Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia were unchanged on Thursday December 6, with the uptick in domestic Chinese billet prices early this week failing to revive trading activity in the region.Fastmarkets' daily price assessment for billet imports into Southeast Asia was $460-470 per tonne cfr Manila on Thursday, unchanged from Wednesday.No bookings have been heard concluded since Monday...Read More
China's domestic and export prices for rebar fell further on Thursday December 6, with a pessimistic outlook for supply and demand emerging in the market.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,880-3,920 yuan ($566-571) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,560-3,590 yuan per tonne, down 30-40 yuan per tonneRebar futures tumbled during the day, which weighed on spot prices. Buy...Read More
The European ferro-molybdenum market has climbed almost 2.5% in trading by the midweek pricing session on Wednesday December 5, tracking a previous increase in the oxide market, with alloy prices now back to a level last seen on September 14. The ferro-molybdenum, basis 65%, in-warehouse Rotterdam price has risen to $29.50-29.70 per kg, from $28.80-29 per kg on November 30. Around 65 tonnes o...Read More
China's ferrous futures mostly weakened during morning trading on Thursday December 6, with the exception of the coking coal contract, which inched up.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,395 yuan ($495) per tonne, down 23 yuan per tonneMay hot-rolled coil: 3,319 yuan per tonne, down 4 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 470.50 yuan per...Read More
Demand for flat steel in Turkey is expected to remain slow throughout December, and export demand was not strong because of seasonal reasons, but prices are not expected to fall because they did so in November, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday December 6.Local producers have filled their order books until late January, they said.The price falls in November resulted in part from wea...Read More
Vale will buy Brazilian privately-owned Ferrous Resources Ltd as part of its "bolt-on acquisitions" strategy, it said on Thursday December 6. The world's largest iron ore producer will buy the small miner for $550 million, the company said. Ferrous Resources operates iron ore mines close to Vale's own assets in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, with sales volumes of 3 million tonnes in 2017...Read More