Imports of iron ore into the United States fell 80% month on month in May, when shipments from Brazil slowed to a trickle, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS).Iron ore imports totaled 95,000 tonnes in May compared with 482,000 tonnes in April and 345,000 tonnes in March. The total, however, was 21.79% higher than the 78,000 tonnes imported in the same month last year.Deliveries...Read More
Eastern China's domestic rebar price decreased slightly on Monday August 16 after the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released housing industry data for July.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,190-5,220 yuan ($801-806) per tonne, down by 10 yuan per tonneThe total area used for new housing construction totaled 1.19 billion square meters in January to July, down by 0.9% year on year, while the...Read More
Manganese flake prices hit record highs in Europe and the United States in the week ended Friday August 13, amid short supply, talk of further production cuts and persistent delays in transportation from China.Fastmarkets' price assessment for manganese, 99.7% electrolytic manganese flake, in-whs Rotterdam, rose by 5.6% to $5,050-5,250 per tonne on August 13, up from $4,750-5,000 per tonne in the...Read More
Apparent steel use in the European Union will increase by 11.2% year on year in 2021, the European steel association Eurofer said in the week to Monday August 16.The association has downgraded the outlook slightly compared to figures publishedin May 2021.In its previous outlook, Eurofer expected the EU's apparent steel consumption toincrease by 11.7% year on year in 2021.The association also...Read More
China's Covid-19 measures are causing chokepoints in the country's ferrous supply chain, raising logistical costs for both traders and steel mills.China's National Health Commission reported 51 new cases of Covid-19 on Monday August 16 - 38 imported cases and 13 locally transmitted ones. Six of the locally transmitted cases were in Jiangsu province, while six were detected in Henan. While the numb...Read More
Prices of flat steel coil products in the Brazilian spot market remained stable in August, with distributors finding it difficult to compete with a strong influx of imported material.High volumes of coil material arrived through July and continued into August, all booked at lower prices several months ago.Imports of flat steel reached 190,854 tonnes in July 2021, up by 141% from the 79,186 tonnes...Read More
China's nickel pig iron (NPI) prices decreased in the week to Friday August 13 amid a tumbling stainless steel market, though the stable cost of ore upstream kept them from falling rapidly.Fastmarkets assessed the nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China at 1,380-1,420 yuan ($213-219) per nickel unit last Friday, down by 10 yuan per tonne from 1,390-1,430 yuan a week earlier...Read More
Aluminium premiums in Japan dropped by an average of $2.50 per tonne to $175-190 per tonne on Friday August 13, from $180-190 per tonne on August 10, with low buying interest weakening demand in recent weeks. Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium P1020A main Japanese ports (MJP) spot premium, cif Japan at $175-190 per tonne on Friday, marking its first change in since July 20.No spot trades were repo...Read More
Seaborne low- and high-grade manganese ore prices ticked downward in the week to Friday August 13 under pressure from portside markets, where weaknesses have persisted over the past month, despite higher freight rates and a steady performance by the manganese alloy sector.Fastmarkets calculated its weekly index for manganese ore, 44% Mn, cif Tianjin, at $5.32 per dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) on Fr...Read More
Rebar and wire rod export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States continued to decrease in the week ended Monday August 16, pressured by the downward trend in the Turkish market that was spurred by a lack of demand and lower costs for imported scrap.Scrap prices in Turkey declined at the beginning of this week due to the latest transaction.Thus, Fastmarkets' index for steel scrap,...Read More
Prices of flat steel coil products in the Brazilian spot market remained stable in August, with distributors finding it difficult to compete with a strong influx of imported material.High volumes of coil material arrived through July and continued into August, all booked at lower prices several months ago.Imports of flat steel reached 190,854 tonnes in July 2021, up by 141% from the 79,186 tonnes...Read More
Export prices for steel billet from the Black Sea basin have continued to decrease in mid-August amid limited demand in most outlet markets and lower costs for scrap raw material globally.Customers from Europe were mainly out of the market due to the holiday season in that region, while Turkish buyers were not willing to pay more than $650 per tonne cfr (equivalent to $620 per tonne fob) due to th...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 25 points in pre-opening trade.The Canadian Dollar was virtually unchanged at US79.22 cents following release of July Canadian Housing Starts at 8:15 AM EDT. Consensus was a decline to 270,800 from upwardly revised 295,085 in June. Actual was 286,620.Index futures moved lower following release of the July Retail Sales...Read More
Key data from the Friday August 13 pricing session in Shanghai.Key drivers China's domestic magnesium prices surged due to spot supply shortage from producers.Some producer sources said they had signed forward contracts with buyers, because they did not have spot material available for the...Read More
The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard grade,...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 16 that are worth another look.Apparent steel use in the European Union will increase by 11.2% year on year in 2021, the European steel association Eurofer said in the week to August 16.A lack of available containers for shipments out...Read More
China's Covid-19 measures are causing chokepoints in the country's ferrous supply chain, raising logistical costs for both traders and steel mills.China's National Health Commission reported 51 new cases of Covid-19 on Monday August 16 - 38 imported cases and 13 locally transmitted ones. Six of the locally transmitted cases were in Jiangsu province, while six were detected in Henan. While the numb...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 16 that are worth another look.Apparent steel use in the European Union will increase by 11.2% year on year in 2021, the European steel association Eurofer said in the week to August 16.A lack of available containers for shipments out...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices were stable across Europe on Monday August 16, reflecting typically quiet market conditions over the summer, sources told Fastmarkets.Most of the region's buyers and producers have been holding back from trading during August; activity is not expected to pick up until early September, as is traditional.Fastmarkets calculated its steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States remained above $95 per hundredweight ($1,900 per short ton) for the third consecutive business day, with demand and lead times stable in the domestic market.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $95.07 per hundredweight ($1,901.40 per short ton) on Monday August 16, a decrease of 1.08% from $96.11 per cwt on Friday...Read More