European alloy surcharges for stainless steel products for December have decreased for the fifth consecutive month, pulled down by lower nickel prices in addition to weak market conditions amid competition with Asian imports.The December alloy surcharge for 2mm grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) stainless steel sheets - based on data published by producers Outokumpu, Aperam and Acerinox - is ?,?1,321-1,36...Read More
Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange made gains on Thursday November 29, following a rise in crude oil futures, but market sentiment remained uncertain with commodities facing macro-economic headwinds.Brent crude oil prices were firmer in afternoon trading, up by $1.80 to $60.16 per barrel. The recent low was $58.38 per bbl.For base metals, nickel was the highlight, with the three-month...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday November 30.Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange registered some gains on Thursday November 29 following a rise in crude oil futures but market sentiment remained uncertain, with commodities facing macroeconomic headwinds. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:Nors...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Thursday November 29.Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange were higher during morning trading, with market confidence boosted by US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell saying that the central bank may soon be in a position to pause the interest rate hikes. Rising 2.27%, LME three-month tin traded the most...Read More
Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday November 29.Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange staged a broad-based recovery during Asian morning trading on Thursday, recovering from the previous day's weakness on a softer dollar.Tin was the sole exception to the firmer tone seen across the rest of the SHFE base me...Read More
London Metal Exchange members are considering a multitude of ways to continue to service their EU clients in the event that a financial services deal is either not forthcoming or does not go far enough when the UK finally leaves the European Union. Some companies have even told their LME sales teams they need to be prepared to move to another major European city to be able to legally service their...Read More
Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange made gains on Thursday November 29, following a rise in crude oil futures, but market sentiment remained uncertain with commodities facing macro-economic headwinds.Brent crude oil prices were firmer in afternoon trading, up by $1.80 to $60.16 per barrel. The recent low was $58.38 per bbl.For base metals, nickel was the highlight, with the three-month...Read More
Comex copper prices were under pressure on Thursday morning in the US, in the aftermath of US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell's dovish comments made on Wednesday.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange reversed down 1.55 cents to $2.7980 per lb. Powell said interest rates were, "just below neutral levels" while speaking at the New...Read More
Physical iron ore trading was mainly inactive on Thursday November 29, with Chinese mills cautious of buying despite gains in the futures and steel markets.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $66.51 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.16 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $65.78 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.16 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $69.30 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.34 per...Read More
Iron ore prices fell sharply in the second half of November after climbing through October, with prices for higher-grade material pioneering the decline.Fastmarkets MB daily benchmark for 65% Fe fines dropped by 22% by Monday November 26 after peaking on October 29. The 62% Fe iron ore index declined by 16% over the period, as some Chinese steelmakers started to seek larger volumes of cheaper ores...Read More
The steel scrap sector in the United States still depends on exports to Turkey, a member of the Fastmarkets research team said during the ferrous session at the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference in London.This dependence persists despite the changes in the international markets created by the US' imposition of its Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel products, metals analyst Le...Read More
European buyers of hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil have been watching the market in expectation of a price reduction, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 29.Buyers have mostly been holding back from making purchases while hoping for a clearer market trend to emerge."Prices are under pressure, for sure," a Northern European source said. "Demand from [the] automotive [sector] is slowing d...Read More
Turkish billet prices have continued to fall this week, amid sluggish demand and a downturn in Asian steel prices, sources said on Thursday November 29.Suppliers in the CIS region have already reduced their billet offers to Turkey to $460-465 per tonne cfr, but demand in the country was very weak...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday November 30.Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange registered some gains on Thursday November 29 following a rise in crude oil futures but market sentiment remained uncertain, with commodities facing macroeconomic headwinds. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:Nors...Read More
Aluminium prices should trade downward going forward once China's demand expectations sour, Novelis' South American chief operating officer Francisco Pires told Fastmarkets on Tuesday November 27.In Brazil, ingot premiums are expected to continue following US Midwest levels, although there are very different dynamics applied to each market, according to Pires. Buyers are currently negotiating 2019...Read More
China's refined tin production is set to fall by 29% year on year in the fourth quarter, mostly due to a lack of concentrate from Myanmar, the International Tin Association (ITA) said in a note on Thursday November 29.Myanmar's tin concentrate shipments account for 40% of China's raw material feed. Stocks held in warehouses in China and at the ports in Myanmar have been depleted since August, the...Read More
The timeframe remains uncertain for a return to 100% capacity operations at the Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil, owner Norsk Hydro said at its Capital Markets Day in London on Thursday November 29.Alunorte has been running at 50% capacity since March, after a court in the state of Par?? halted operations of the refinery's DRS2 bauxite residue disposal unit for environmental reasons. A Brazilia...Read More
Aurubis has resumed production at its Hamburg and Pirdrop primary copper smelting plants after both were suspended for unscheduled boiler maintenance earlier this week, the company said on Thursday November 29. "Our plants in Hamburg and Pirdrop are back in operation already, we expect L? 1/4 nen to be back by the end of next week," a spokesperson said in an...Read More
Comex copper prices were under pressure on Thursday morning in the US, in the aftermath of US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell's dovish comments made on Wednesday.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange reversed down 1.55 cents to $2.7980 per lb. Powell said interest rates were, "just below neutral levels" while speaking at the New...Read More
Xinfa Group's two aluminium smelters in the Chinese province of Shandong have been exempted from this year's winter production curtailments, according to a document seen by Fastmarkets MB. The two smelters, which are both located in Liaochen city, will be allowed to operate unimpeded during China's winter heating season which runs from November 15 until March 15 next year, a document released by t...Read More