Vale's cobalt production fell 31% in the third quarter of 2018 mainly due to decreased output from its Sudbury and Voisey's Bay operations. Vale produced 1,028 tonnes of cobalt in the three months to the end of September compared with 1,489 tonnes in the same quarter of 2017. A 22.5% fall in third-quarter production from Voisey's Bay to 371 tonnes from the previous quarter was caused by scheduled...Read More
Chinese cobalt metal and salts prices fell in the midweek pricing session following an 17.8% drop in local futures contract prices, which dented buying sentiment. Fastmarkets MB's Chinese domestic cobalt metal price fell by 3.6% to 450,000-490,000 yuan per tonne ($25.52-27.68 per lb, China-VAT free) on Wednesday October 17, from 475,000-500,000 yuan per tonne on Friday. Market participants at...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices decreased on Thursday October 18 following a sharp drop in the futures market. DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,210-4,230 yuan ($608-611) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,110-4,120 yuan per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneThe significant drop in the futures market dampened demand for HRC and pushed down spot prices for the product...Read More
China's ferrous futures ended morning trading slightly higher than their opening prices on Thursday October 18, having been trending downward since during Wednesday night's session. Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 4,168 yuan ($602) per tonne, up 3 yuan per tonne January hot rolled coil: 3,921 yuan per tonne, up 2 yuan per tonne Dalian Commodity Exc...Read More
Prices for US domestic rebar remained flat despite a modest gain in Chicago shredded scrap prices, while imported prices remain static due to a lack of confirmed market activity. Fastmarkets AMM's assessment for domestic rebar held at $35-36 per hundredweight ($700-720 per short ton) fob Midwest mill on Wednesday October 17, while imported rebar remained at $676-700 per ton cfr Port of Houston. No...Read More
Turkish domestic prices for rebar and wire rod continued to slide in the week ended Thursday October 18. But this time the drop was spurred not only by modest demand but also by the strengthening of the local currency against the US dollar.The country's domestic long steel prices are strongly connected to the lira-dollar exchange rate and move in line with that, because mills buy their raw materia...Read More
Imported steel billet prices in Egypt decreased in the week ended Thursday October 18, with demand in the country remaining weak.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $480-485 per tonne cfr on Thursday, falling from...Read More
Buyers held back from trading in the export market for pig iron from the Commonwealth of Independent States during the week ended Thursday October 18, because there was enough material available for them to ignore high offer prices.Fastmarkets' export price assessment for high-manganese pig iron from the CIS was $360-370 per tonne fob Black Sea on October 18, narrowing downward from $360-375 per t...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap market showed signs of renewed activity on Thursday October 18, with prices being pushed upward by rumors of a new cargo booking.So far this week, no deep-sea cargo bookings have been heard, but rumors of a European cargo being sold were circulating on the market today. But the details began to emerge...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were rangebound on Thursday October 18, with the market showing signs of cooling off from Wednesday's bullishness.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $73.58 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $0.22 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.61 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $0.22 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $78.60 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down by $0.15 per tonne.MB...Read More
Turkish steel billet prices have fallen over the past week because of poor demand both domestically and abroad as well as a strengthening of the lira against the dollar.The lira started to gain in value by the end of last week after the release of US pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey, who hads been detained by local authorities because of alleged links to outlawed political groups. He was freed by a...Read More
Imported steel billet prices in Egypt decreased in the week ended Thursday October 18, with demand in the country remaining weak.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $480-485 per tonne cfr on Thursday, falling from...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices held steady on Thursday October 18 despite a big drop in the futures market.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,550-4,590 yuan ($657-663) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 4,340-4,380 yuan per tonne, unchangedRebar futures took a big tumble during the day, which dampened buying interest in the spot market.A week-on-week drop in inventory levels kept price...Read More
Molybdenum prices have dropped in Europe in line with demand in the past few days, with traders waiting for consumer buying interest to pick up before committing to any significant inter-merchant business, sources said.Market participants have not reported to Fastmarkets MB any molybdenum trades in either oxide or ferro-molybdenum in the first half of the week. Alloy deals of around 60 tonnes were...Read More
Import prices for stainless steel in East Asia fell over the past week amid sluggish regional demand and the emergence of lower offers.Fastmarkets MB's import price assessment for 304 stainless 2mm trimmed cold-rolled coil was $2,050-2,150 per tonne cif East Asian ports for the week ended Wednesday October 17, down $10-50 per tonne from a week earlier.Fastmarkets MB's assessment of import prices f...Read More
China's domestic stainless steel prices moved down over the past week amid low demand and high inventory levels. Fastmarkets MB's price assessment for benchmark 304 stainless cold-rolled coil in the major market of Wuxi was 15,600-15,900 yuan ($2,252-2,296) per tonne including VAT for the week ended Wednesday October 17, down 200 yuan per tonne from a week earlier.Demand remained soft over the pas...Read More
Buyers held back from trading in the export market for pig iron from the Commonwealth of Independent States during the week ended Thursday October 18, because there was enough material available for them to ignore high offer prices.Fastmarkets' export price assessment for high-manganese pig iron from the CIS was $360-370 per tonne fob Black Sea on October 18, narrowing downward from $360-375 per t...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Thursday October 18 because of a firmer dollar but zinc continued to rally thanks to low stocks and the threat of more US sanctions.Copper closed below $6,200 per tonne for the first time this week while nickel hit a one-month low of $12,200 per tonne this afternoon but recovered to close at $12,350 per to...Read More
Turkish domestic prices for rebar and wire rod continued to slide in the week ended Thursday October 18. But this time the drop was spurred not only by modest demand but also by the strengthening of the local currency against the US dollar.The country's domestic long steel prices are strongly connected to the lira-dollar exchange rate and move in line with that, because mills buy their raw materia...Read More
Turkish steel billet prices have fallen over the past week because of poor demand both domestically and abroad as well as a strengthening of the lira against the dollar.The lira started to gain in value by the end of last week after the release of US pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey, who hads been detained by local authorities because of alleged links to outlawed political groups. He was freed by a...Read More