Hydro is preparing for a full curtailment of operations at its alumina refinery in Brazil, the company announced today.Alunorte has been running at 50% production since March, following embargoes from Brazilian authorities. "Due to the embargo, Alunorte has been forced to operate only deposit area 1 (DRS1), which was originally planned to be phased out, and the less efficient drum filters. DR...Read More
Zinc concentrate treatment charges (TCs) have climbed to their highest level in two and a half years, with spot parcels trading at terms well above $100 per tonne in September.Fastmarkets MB assessed spot zinc concentrate TCs on a cif Asia Pacific basis at $115-135 per tonne at end of September, up from $80-95 per tonne a month earlier and the highest since May 2016. Terms for spot zinc concentrat...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Supply disruption, strong demand, multi-year prices highs and subsequent supply responses have meant for another year of price swings and volatility across many of the minors metals, ores and ferro-alloys markets. And now, with LME Week and contract negotiating season coming around again, players must contend with Trump administration tariffs on imports of a number of China produced goods, includi...Read More
Turkish steel producers have resumed their deep-sea scrap bookings with a spot cargo deal, sources said on Wednesday October 3.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a US cargo, comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $327 per tonne, 7,000 tonnes of shredded at $332 per tonne and 3,000 tonnes of bonus at $337 per tonne cfr on late Tuesday October 2.The cargo was scheduled to be shippe...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday October 3 pricing session in Europe. Key drivers The European ferro-titanium price range widened, with another small drop at the lower end of the range from the previous week, but enough buying interest to register trades at the upper end of the range.Industry sources say a major consumer in Europe has issued a tender for several hundred tonnes of ferro-titanium for de...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part firmer during morning trading on Wednesday October 3. The exceptions were tin where prices were down by 0.5% and nickel where prices were little changed. The rest were up between 0.2% for copper at $6,267 per tonne and 0.6% for zinc at $2,674 per tonne.With Chinese markets still closed for the Golden Week holiday, v...Read More
Supply disruption, strong demand, multi-year prices highs and subsequent supply responses have meant for another year of price swings and volatility across many of the minors metals, ores and ferro-alloys markets. And now, with LME Week and contract negotiating season coming around again, players must contend with Trump administration tariffs on imports of a number of China produced goods, includi...Read More
Demand for flat steel in Turkey was expected to remain slow throughout October, but prices were not expected to fall because they did so in September, and export demand was now strong, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 3.Local producers have filled their order books until November, they said.The price falls in September were in part a result of the Turkish lira losing a sig...Read More
Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in both North and South Europe have declined over the week due to poor trading and lower slab costs, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 3.Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for domestic grade-S235JR heavy steel plate in Southern Europe moved down to ?,?580-590 ($670-681) per tonne ex-works on October 3, from ?,?585-595 per tonne ex-works a wee...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe inched down this week despite some higher offers for the material from Turkey, sources told Fastmarkets MB on Wednesday October 3."Turkish mills have been less aggressive with their offers to Europe,," a Southern European source said. "it seems that the reason behind it is the currency exchange-rate change."The Turkish lira has gained 7.56% a...Read More
Domestic long steel prices in EU markets were expected to push moderately higher over October, with producers foreseeing strong demand and high costs, although the developing situation in Turkey could stifle any price increases, sources told Fastmarkets this week."We're seeing October deals at [prices] about ?,?20 [($23) per tonne] above September business," a producer said, pointing to a trio of...Read More
Prices for domestic hollow steel sections in Europe remained unchanged this week while the market considered the possible outcomes of the region's recently launched anti-dumping investigation into the product, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 3.Fastmarkets' domestic price assessment for commodity-size, grade-S235 square hollow sections made in Northern Europe remained at ?,?650...Read More
Domestic prices for steel beams in Europe remained flat this week on traders' concerns about market conditions, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 3.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic S235-grade, 200x200mm, category-2 H-beam in Northern Europe was flat at ?,?620-650 ($716-751) per tonne delivered on October 3, unchanged week on week.Market participants this week were divi...Read More
Turkish steel producers have resumed their deep-sea scrap bookings with a spot cargo deal, sources said on Wednesday October 3.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a US cargo, comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $327 per tonne, 7,000 tonnes of shredded at $332 per tonne and 3,000 tonnes of bonus at $337 per tonne cfr on late Tuesday October 2.The cargo was scheduled to be shippe...Read More
The iron ore market remained at a standstill on Wednesday October 3 with China still halfway into its Golden Week, even as the Australian government published its forecast of a gradual drop in imports of the steelmaking raw material by the world's biggest consumer.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $69.24 per tonne cfr Qingdao, unchanged.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $68.27 p...Read More
Demand for flat steel in Turkey was expected to remain slow throughout October, but prices were not expected to fall because they did so in September, and export demand was now strong, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 3.Local producers have filled their order books until November, they said.The price falls in September were in part a result of the Turkish lira losing a sig...Read More
Iran's export prices for semi-finished steel products, slab in particular, dropped over the week ended Wednesday October 3 with suppliers trying to attract customers while the country faces pressure from trading sanctions imposed by the United States.Economic sanctions were reintroduced by the US against the Middle Eastern country in early August and have had a detrimental effect on Iran's steel t...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday October 3 pricing session in Europe. Key drivers The European ferro-titanium price range widened, with another small drop at the lower end of the range from the previous week, but enough buying interest to register trades at the upper end of the range.Industry sources say a major consumer in Europe has issued a tender for several hundred tonnes of ferro-titanium for de...Read More
The European charge and high carbon ferro-chrome benchmark has dropped to $1.24 per lb for the fourth quarter of 2018, down 14 cents from the prior quarter.The quarterly benchmark is negotiated by a leading South African ferro-chrome producer and a major European mill; usually Glencore and Aperam.The new settlement was announced on Wednesday October 3 to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange by Merafe R...Read More