Some rebar producers in Egypt believe that the country should apply duty at 6-8% on imports of steel billet, while others argue that billet imports are essential if enough rebar is to be produced domestically, Fastmarkets heard on Friday November 23.The first group believe that billet duties will facilitate an increase in domestic billet capacity. But the latter group believe that it is imports of...Read More
The following Metal Bulletin noble alloys, bulk alloys and ores prices changed on Friday November 23:Noble alloysFerro-molybdenum basis 65% min, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/kg Mo: $28.20-28.65 per kg from $28.20-28.50Ferro-tungsten basis 75% W Rotterdam duty unpaid, $/kg: $33.00-33.80 per kg from $33.00-33.75Bulk alloysFerro-chromeEuropean Benchmark Indicator, lumpy Cr charge basis 52% (and high car...Read More
Key data for the pricing session for the week ending November 23. China Domestic ferro-chrome spot prices softened slightly this week amid thin buying interest.The UG2 chrome ore index was unmoved, with buyers taking a wait-and-watch stance prior to the release of December's ferro-chrome tender prices...Read More
China's domestic spot battery-grade lithium carbonate price was steady this week due to slow market activity, with just small deals concluded; rest-of-world lithium hydroxide prices fell due to continued low demand. Chinese battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide prices were unchanged week on week on thin spot market activity. Battery-grade lithium hydroxide prices in other global marke...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India fell by $8 per tonne this week due to a poor trading environment, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday November 23.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $350.53 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on November 23. This was down by $8.28 per tonne week on week from $358.81 per tonne cfr on November 16.Offer pr...Read More
Prices for light iron scrap in the United Kingdom were lower this week, dropping by ?5 ($6.40) per tonne from a week earlier, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday November 23.The move follows a drop in European export prices to major destination Turkey, while demand from the Indian sub-continent, another key importer from Europe, has been slow. UK sources expect another fall of ?5 per tonne in the...Read More
Brazilian pig iron suppliers continued to insist on higher export offer prices this week on lower material availability during the rainy season and lower availability due to suppliers having closed order books for the year. Fastmarkets increased its weekly price assessment for pig iron exports from the south-eastern Minas Gerais region to $355 per tonne fob on Friday November 23, from $346-34...Read More
The Turkish steel mills continued to book deep-sea scrap for December deliveries at the end of the week, following an earlier downturn in prices, sources said on Friday November 23.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo, comprising 17,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $329 per tonne, 23,000 tonnes of shredded at $334 per tonne and as much as 5,000 tonnes...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices continued to drop toward the $70-per-tonne-cfr mark on Friday November 23 amid plunges in the futures and steel markets.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $70.13 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $2.05 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $69.32 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $2.05 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $73.07 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $2.75 per tonne.M...Read More
Buyers and sellers in the seaborne coking coal market stayed on the sidelines on Friday November 23 amid declining prices for steel and coke in China coupled with a lack of clarity on the country's import restrictions. "It is becoming increasingly clear that the customs clearance ban [on coal imports] will be in place until at least January. Chinese buyers are hoping they can at least discharge th...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil market resumed its downward trend on Friday November 23 with participants still having a pessimistic outlook.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,730-3,750 yuan ($538-541) per tonne, down 30-40 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,660-3,680 yuan per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneUnlike most Fridays when downstream buyers would typically restock in case of having to work...Read More
China's rebar prices declined significantly in both the domestic and export markets on Friday November 23 amid plunging futures.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,920-3,950 yuan ($565-570) per tonne, down 70 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,780-3,800 yuan per tonne, down 40-50 yuan per tonneThe sharp drop in the paper market during the day intensified the bearish sentiment in the spot m...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Friday November 23:Cobalt MB free market high grade, $/lb: $32.90-33.50 per lb from $33.25-34.00Cobalt MB free market low grade, $/lb: $33.00-33.50 per lb from $33.25-33.95Cobalt MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 400,000-420,000 yuan per...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The three-month lead price on the London Metal Exchange was slightly firmer this morning, Friday November 23, while the rest of the complex was down by an average of 0.6%. Zinc led the decline with a 1.2% fall, while copper was off by 0.8% at $6,217 per tonne.Volume has been high with 11,796 lots traded as at 7.24am London time - the bulk of which has been in nickel, where 6,902 lots have traded....Read More
The following Fastmarkets non-ferrous European free market scrap prices changed on Friday November 23:Aluminium scrapFloated Frag: ?,?1,020-1,070 per tonne from ?,?1,000-1,050Cast: ?,?940-990 per tonne from ?,?920-970Mixed...Read More
Asia ferrous scrap prices are still falling, tracking weak downstream prices in the rebar and billet markets.The price of Taiwan's containerized import scrap has slipped below $300 per tonne cfr, while trading for heavy melting scrap (HMS) 1&2 (80:20) scrap in Vietnam was extremely illiquid due to cheaper material from Hong Kong and Japan being offered to Vietnamese steel mills.VietnamFastmarkets...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the close of trading on Thursday November 22, with quiet trading continuing to keep prices broadly stable. Nickel's three-month price continued its downtrend, closing below $11,000 per tonne for the first time since December 2017; upward price action continues to be limited by slow Chinese stainless steel production. Additionally, the I...Read More
Alufer Mining's first shipment of bauxite from its Bel Air project in Guinea has arrived in China, the company said on Thursday November 22. The shipment, totaling 203,009 tonnes, was shipped to Qingdao port in China after being sold to Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco) - the country's largest alumina and primary aluminium producer. The Bel Air mine is on on track to produce 5.5 million tonnes per y...Read More