Here is our selection of the principal talking points at Metal Bulletin's 33rd International Aluminium conference held in Berlin, September 12-14.Rusal uncertainty continues to stifle liquidityThe sanctions imposed by the United States against Russian aluminium producer UC Rusal were the main talking point at the conference, with uncertainty about the situation dividing opinion.More than half the...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.[Editor's note: This article was first published at 5.58pm London time on September 19. It was updated on September...Read More
Free and fair trade is one of the few good principles that allows resources to flow to their point of best use, helping countries and companies to thrive and prosper, Murat Cebecioglu, chairman of the International Rebar Exporters and Producers Association (Irepas) said this week at the organization's conference in Istanbul, Turkey.Cebecioglu emphasized that Irepas has been an advocate for free an...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to stay out of deep-sea scrap markets, partly due to falling demand in their billet and rebar export markets, sources said on Thursday September 20.After booking a number of deep-sea cargoes for October, the mills have been mostly quiet so far this week."The mills were buying scrap as they were selling billet to Southeast Asia. But the billet demand from the....Read More
Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia softened slightly on Thursday September 20, with the mismatch between bids and offers keeping trading activity limited.Re-rollers were still insisting on their low bids due to weak downstream sales, while sellers maintained their offer levels.Metal Bulletin's daily assessment of import prices for billet in Southeast Asia was $525-535 per tonne cfr M...Read More
Comex copper prices were trading at the highest level since late August for the second consecutive day on Thursday September 20, with the dollar plummeting to a fresh low in the US morning. Copper prices for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 0.10 cents or 0.1% to $2.7305 per lb. Yesterday, the contract touched the highest point August 28. Even ami...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were higher across the board by an average of 0.7% on the morning of Thursday September 20. For now, the market seems to be grateful that the latest round of tariffs from the United States stood at 10% and not the 25% initially threatened.Lead and zinc were the outperformers with gains of 1.1%, followed by copper, aluminium and nickel whi...Read More
Turkey has imposed an additional 25% duty on steel imports, payable once product-specific quotas have been exceeded.Imports of flat steel, long steel, iron & steel pipes, stainless steel products and railway equipment will be subject to the additonal charge, the country's official gazette announced on Wednesday, September 19. The quotas are as follows: 3.12 million tonnes for flat p...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices dropped on Thursday September 20 after the government in the northern steelmaking hub of Tangshan released new rules on winter production cuts that have triggered supply concerns.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,290-4,310 yuan ($626-629) per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin)): 4,200-4,230 yuan per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneParticipants...Read More
China's ferrous futures declined during morning trading on Thursday September 20, after the Tangshan government released details of winter steel restrictions the previous day. Limited production cuts are expected because most steel mills in Tangshan are likely to meet the pollution control standard, participants told Metal Bulletin.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange...Read More
Free and fair trade is one of the few good principles that allows resources to flow to their point of best use, helping countries and companies to thrive and prosper, Murat Cebecioglu, chairman of the International Rebar Exporters and Producers Association (Irepas) said this week at the organization's conference in Istanbul, Turkey.Cebecioglu emphasized that Irepas has been an advocate for free an...Read More
Turkish rebar and wire rod export prices fell over the past week due to softening demand in both markets, sources told Metal Bulletin on Thursday September 20.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for rebar exports out of Turkey was $510-515 per tonne fob on an actual weight basis, down from last week's $515-520 per tonne.Steel mills in the country have lowered their offers to $515-520...Read More
Turkish domestic long steel prices remained largely unchanged over the past week on continuing weak demand, sources said on Thursday September 20.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for domestic rebar was TRY3,800-3,930 ($603-624) per tonne ex-works, down from TRY3,800-3,950 per tonne last week.However, the demand was still limited due to high prices with the effects of weak lira, Metal Bulle...Read More
Free and fair trade is one of the few good principles that allows resources to flow to their point of best use, helping countries and companies to thrive and prosper, Murat Cebecioglu, chairman of the International Rebar Exporters and Producers Association (Irepas) said this week at the organization's conference in Istanbul, Turkey.Cebecioglu emphasized that Irepas has been an advocate for free an...Read More
The export market for pig iron from the Commonwealth of Independent States has weakened further on weak key outlets the United States and Ukraine. Metal Bulletin's export price assessment for high-manganese pig iron from the CIS has narrowed down to $365-370 per tonne fob Black Sea on Thursday September 20, from $365-375 per tonne fob a week before.Pig iron from Ukraine was heard to be sold to the...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to stay out of deep-sea scrap markets, partly due to falling demand in their billet and rebar export markets, sources said on Thursday September 20.After booking a number of deep-sea cargoes for October, the mills have been mostly quiet so far this week."The mills were buying scrap as they were selling billet to Southeast Asia. But the billet demand from the....Read More
Turkish domestic and export billet prices have dropped over the past week due to softening demand, market sources told Metal Bulletin.Import prices inched up, meanwhile, reflecting higher offers from the CIS region, those sources added on Thursday September 20.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for billet imports into Turkey was $485-500 per tonne cfr, widening upward from last week's...Read More
Steel billet import prices in Egypt narrowed in the week ended Thursday September 20, with the billet import market remaining silent.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $495-500 per tonne cfr on Thursday, unchanged week on week. CIS-origin billet was offered at $495-500...Read More
Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia softened slightly on Thursday September 20, with the mismatch between bids and offers keeping trading activity limited.Re-rollers were still insisting on their low bids due to weak downstream sales, while sellers maintained their offer levels.Metal Bulletin's daily assessment of import prices for billet in Southeast Asia was $525-535 per tonne cfr M...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday September 19 pricing session in Europe.Key drivers Thin stocks among traders continued to fuel price increases in the European market, with offering prices surging past $100 per kg for the first time since 2005. While consumer activity has been somewhat thin this week, spot interest from traders has been sufficient to drive the precipitous price rise. However, som...Read More