Swedish steelmaker SSAB forecasts solid demand in the fourth quarter of 2018 following a good performance in July-September this year, the company said on Friday October 26."Despite the political turbulence surrounding trade barriers, we expect the outlook to remain good for the fourth quarter of 2018," president and chief executive officer Martin Lindqvist said. "SSAB has strong positions in our...Read More
Domestic prices for coated steel coil products in Turkey decreased in the week ended Friday October 26, with demand remaining poor in the local market.Market participants were not expecting much improvement in local demand until the end of 2018, because of the low end-user requirements and the recent economic problems in the country.The Turkish lira lost significant value in August and September,...Read More
Domestic rebar prices in Poland have been largely stable over the week, but the mills are likely to try to achieve higher prices in November, sources told Fastmarkets MB on Friday October 26.The sources, however, doubt that the rise of official offers will be reflected in the transaction prices.Polish steelmakers are expected to announce new prices in early November. In the meantime, no deals have...Read More
Key data for the pricing session in the week ending Friday October 26.China The domestic ferro-chrome spot market was stable from the past week but few deals were done. UG2 prices were stable, while the imported charge chrome index eased slightly. Chinese stainless steel mills lowered their tender prices for November delivery...Read More
The following Metal Bulletin noble alloys, bulk alloys and ores prices changed on Friday October 26:Noble alloysFerro-vanadium basis 78% min, free delivered duty paid, $/kg: $114.50-118.50 per kg from $113.50-118.50Ferro-vanadium US 70-80% V, $/Ib: $53.50-55.50 per Ib from $51.50-53.75Vanadium pentoxide min 98%, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/lb: $26.00-26.50 per Ib from $24.10-25.50Bulk alloysFerro-ch...Read More
China's domestic spot battery-grade lithium carbonate prices have started to move up this week after continuous price decreases since November 2017 due to reduced production from Qinghai, stronger industrial-grade lithium carbonate prices and lower stocks of lithium compounds.China's battery-grade lithium hydroxide prices held steady on quiet demand, while prices for the rest of the world went dow...Read More
Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday October 26.Base metal prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mostly down during Asian morning trading on Friday after a firm dollar continued to put downward pressure on the complex. Copper and lead were the only metals to register gains - albeit marginal ones - in the early sessi...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India edged up this week ahead of an expected a slowdown for the religious festival of Diwali, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday October 26.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India inched up to $355.67 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on October 26, from $354.42 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on October 19.Deals this we...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to book deep-sea scrap cargoes and also confirmed other earlier transactions on Friday October 26, pushing prices upward.Details came to light on the two cargoes reported on Thursday.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a Baltic Sea cargo comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $333 per tonne cfr and 5,000 tonnes of bonus grade at $342 per tonne cfr.Ad...Read More
Prices for light iron scrap in the United Kingdom have not changed over the past seven days, extending a period of stability into a seventh consecutive week, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday October 26.But market sentiment suggests that the light iron market may move higher in the near term because demand was firm among the major shredders and there was strong demand from an unusual source ac...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Friday October 26. Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were lower across the board during morning trading on Friday October 26, with a marked downturn in global equity markets prompting further risk-aversion while a continued surge in the dollar index kept prices subdued.The three-month nickel price deprec...Read More
Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Friday October 26*Copper -$148.03 (-1,032.21 yuan) Aluminium -$426.44 (-2,973.46 yuan) Zinc -$92.45 (-644.62 yuan) Nickel $512.51 (3,573.62 yuan) *Metal Bulletin calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month prices at 3pm...Read More
The seaborne coking coal spot market was largely stable on Friday October 26 following a flurry of transactions earlier this week.Market sources said that production at the Middlemount mine in Queensland, Australia has been disrupted, and an offer for a December-loading cargo involving a tier-two product from the mine was heard to have been withdrawn. "The issue is being looked into. However, the...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices were largely stable on Friday October 26 amid sparse trading.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,170-4,180 yuan ($600-602) per tonne, narrowing downward 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,080-4,100 yuan per tonne, unchangedTrading was thin during the day, which kept prices steady for the most part. Downstream demand remained weak, market sources said.This w...Read More
The uncertainty in the geopolitical, macroeconomic and political spheres is slowing the market activity in the minor metals sector, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday October 26.The threat of a no-deal "Brexit" (the UK leaving the European Union with no agreement in place to govern the process), the rise of protectionism and the burgeoning trade war between the United States and China are the main...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets in the week ending Friday October 26, and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Friday October 26:Bismuth MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 49,000-51,500 yuan per tonne from 51,000-52,500 yuanChromium MB free market alumino-thermic, $/tonne: $10,700-11,500...Read More
European transaction prices for grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) sheets fell dramatically this week because domestic mills are fighting for market share with imported material, sources said.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment for grade-304 CR sheets was ?,?2,200-2,300 ($2,506-2,620) per tonne delivered on Friday October 26, down by ?,?100 per tonne. https://www.metalbulletin.com/My-price-book.html?price=4361...Read More
Prices of several alloy scrap grades eased this week, albeit only marginally - a reflection of continued poor demand and a fall in nickel prices.Fastmarkets MB assessed UK domestic 18/8 scrap solids at ?840-880 ($1,080-1,132) per tonne delivered on Friday October 26, down by ?10-20 from the previous assessment.European import prices for 18/8 scrap solid also slipped, dipping by ?,?10 per tonne a...Read More
The following Fastmarkets non-ferrous European free market scrap prices changed on Friday October 26:Aluminium scrapFloated Frag: ?,?1,000-1,050 per tonne from ?,?1,010-1,060Cast: ?,?920-970 per...Read More