Key data from the Wednesday November 14 pricing session in Europe. Key driversThe recent downward trend in the ferro-titanium price has created more losses in the European alloy market. The trend started on September 12, when the market was assessed at $5.80-6.05 per kg.Trading activity was slower this week, with many market participants at Fastmarkets MB' International Ferro-alloys conference in...Read More
The cobalt metal price in China edged lower mid-week, pressured by the overall bearish sentiment toward the cobalt market's outlook following an industry event last week.Fastmarkets assessed the Chinese cobalt metal price at 410,000-430,000 yuan per tonne ($23.10-24.22) per lb, China VAT-free, on Wednesday November 14, down 4.5% from 430,000-450,000 yuan per tonne previously. "Following the event...Read More
Turkish steel producers resumed their deep-sea scrap purchasing on Thursday November 15, following a downturn in prices.A steel producer in northern Turkey booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $335 per tonne cfr.Another steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a United States cargo, comprising 17,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $335 per tonne and 3,000...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday November 14 pricing session in Europe. Key driversThe recent downward trend in the ferro-titanium price has created more losses in the European alloy market. The trend started on September 12, when the market was assessed at $5.80-6.05 per kg.Trading activity was slower this week, with many market participants at Fastmarkets MB' International Ferro-alloys conference in...Read More
UK ferrous scrap prices for deliveries in November have been rolled over due to steady business and a small increase in European export prices to the key destination of Turkey, which meant there has been no support for changes to British domestic scrap prices, trade sources told Metal Bulletin on Wednesday November 14.UK suppliers had initially pushed for an increase of around ?5-10 ($6-13) per t...Read More
The Comex copper price moved higher on Thursday November 15 amid a broad-based increase due to a solid macroeconomic backdrop ahead of the end of year holiday season .The copper price for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange jumped 4.20 to $2.7520 per lb."We continue to expect a strong rebound in copper prices by the end of 2018 principally because investor...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board by an average of 0.7% on the morning of Thursday November 15. Zinc and nickel prices were up by the most with gains of 1.2% and 1.1% respectively, while copper was up by 0.8% at $6,149 per tonne. The others were up by between 0.2% for aluminium and 0.8% for lead. Volume has been below average with 4,583 lots trade...Read More
Planned investment by China in high-pressure acid-leaching (HPAL) projects for nickel mining will materialize, but the projected production timeframes are very likely to be pushed back, and development costs are liable to increase, market participants have told Fastmarkets."[The Chinese are] looking to take advantage of the expected growth [in nickel demand for battery uses]. All of us are skeptic...Read More
The cobalt metal price in China edged lower mid-week, pressured by the overall bearish sentiment toward the cobalt market's outlook following an industry event last week.Fastmarkets assessed the Chinese cobalt metal price at 410,000-430,000 yuan per tonne ($23.10-24.22) per lb, China VAT-free, on Wednesday November 14, down 4.5% from 430,000-450,000 yuan per tonne previously. "Following the event...Read More
Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil (CRC) have moved down slightly over the past week in Europe on slow trading, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 15.Demand was slow because distributors have sufficient volumes in stock, according to market sources.In addition, the future price trend in the coil market was not clear to buyers so they preferred to hold back from purchasing.This week, d...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices were stable on Thursday November 15, but market participants are expecting an imminent drop on worsening demand.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,800-3,810 yuan ($546-548) per tonne, unchanged Northern China (Tianjin): 3,840-3,850 yuan per tonne, unchangedPrices held steady during the day, with trading activity in eastern China being described as better th...Read More
China's ferrous futures, particularly the steel and coke contracts, tumbled during morning trading on Thursday November 15 on profit-taking after across-the-board gains a day earlier.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 3,874 ($557) yuan per tonne, down 53 yuan per tonneJanuary hot-rolled coil: 3,577 yuan per tonne, down 30 yuan per tonneDalian Commodit...Read More
Wire rod industry sources in the United States expect recently announced mill price increases to be accepted, although the domestic market remains flat for now.Fastmarkets AMM's assessment for industrial quality low-carbon rod held at $39.25-41.25 per hundredweight ($785-825 per short ton) on Wednesday November 14, and imported wire rod was steady at $744-762 per short cfr port of Houston.Scr...Read More
Turkish long steel prices have continued to move in line with the lira-dollar exchange rate over the past week, sources said on Thursday November 15.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Turkey was TRY3,250-3,400 ($593-621) per tonne ex-works, up from the last week's TRY3,200-3,335 per tonne including 18% VAT.The slight increase in...Read More
Turkish long steel export prices have fallen over the past week amid limited demand and weakening steel prices in China, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 15.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for rebar exports out of Turkey was $505-510 per tonne fob, down from the $510-520 per tonne of last week.The decrease in the assessment followed news of a rebar cargo...Read More
Turkish steel producers resumed their deep-sea scrap purchasing on Thursday November 15, following a downturn in prices.A steel producer in northern Turkey booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $335 per tonne cfr.Another steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a United States cargo, comprising 17,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $335 per tonne and 3,000...Read More
UK ferrous scrap prices for deliveries in November have been rolled over due to steady business and a small increase in European export prices to the key destination of Turkey, which meant there has been no support for changes to British domestic scrap prices, trade sources told Metal Bulletin on Wednesday November 14.UK suppliers had initially pushed for an increase of around ?5-10 ($6-13) per t...Read More
Iron ore prices weakened on Thursday November 15, marking the start of the winter heating season in north China and the accompanying steelmaking restrictions.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $74.93 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.98 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $74.73 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.98 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $77.97 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.2...Read More
Turkish imported billet prices have weakened slightly over the past week on limited demand and a downturn in steel prices in China, while domestic and export billet prices were unchanged, sources said on Thursday November 15.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for billet imports into Turkey was $475-480 per tonne cfr, narrowing downward from last week's $475-485 per tonne cfr.The CIS export bille...Read More
CIS export billet prices softened slightly in the middle of this week with negative sentiment starting to spread due to the return of Chinese suppliers to export markets as well as rumors of possible tariffs on billet imports into Egypt in the near term."The case has been raised, but the officials responsible for a study have not made any comment yet," an Egyptian source told Fastmarkets on Thursd...Read More