The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:?EUR? Impressive advances in ore and alloy prices persisted in March, with most markets posting significant price gains. Strengthening demand from steelmakers along with supply shortages and depleted inventories in numerous markets, as well as freight and transportation...Read More
Inner Mongolia, China's ferro-chrome production heartland, has imposed restrictions on its metallurgical sector in a move that has fueled the high-carbon ferro-chrome markets in China and Europe, and although this may ease off, the gains were unlikely to be lost while alloy ramp-ups continue, sources have told Fastmarkets.The decision to restrict energy consumption in Inner Mongolia since December...Read More
Fastmarkets' Ferrous Analytics report helps subscribers keep track of hot metal costs and steel production spreads in China, along with key pricing components of the steelmaking raw materials supply chain in Asia.Read More
The aerospace industry is on pace for a full recovery in the next three years, with demand already rebounding in the second half of 2021 compared with Covid-19 pandemic-related lows, according to Arconic's top executive."While [aerospace] remains the biggest question mark in our portfolio, we believe that question really just boils down to timing. We fully expect the industry to return to pre-pand...Read More
Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil in Europe declined in the week to Wednesday August 4 due to increased availability and lower import offers, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel CRC, domestic, exw Northern Europe was ?,?1,270-1,310 per tonne on August 4, down by ?,?30-40 per tonne from ?,?1,300-1,350 per tonne ex-works a week earlier.The corresponding we...Read More
Latin American steel group Ternium expects prices to remain steady in North America, despite the increase in capacity coming into the market.New projects coming onstream are expected to add around 5-6 million tonnes of flat steel capacity in the region, according to the company's estimates. But such an increase is not expected to bring prices down. "I don't see this as a driver of huge oversupply,...Read More
European buyers of hot-rolled coil have been in "wait-and-see" mode so domestic prices were fairly stable on Wednesday August 4, sources have told Fastmarkets.Sentiment in the market turned negative despite the seasonal slowdown, due to competitive import offers. Although the volumes available have not been significant, according to estimates by market participants, they will still affect sentimen...Read More
The latest forecasts and analysis of the ferrous scrap and iron metallics market from the Fastmarkets research team are ready to be viewed.Stifled automotive output this year, driven by a supply shortage of semiconductor chips used in vehicles, has tightened prime scrap availability and widened the spreads between this grade of steelmaking raw material and obsolete scrap.While wide prime-over-obso...Read More
Fastmarkets' Ferrous Analytics report helps subscribers keep track of hot metal costs and steel production spreads in China, along with key pricing components of the steelmaking raw materials supply chain in Asia.Read More
Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil in Europe declined in the week to Wednesday August 4 due to increased availability and lower import offers, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel CRC, domestic, exw Northern Europe was ?,?1,270-1,310 per tonne on August 4, down by ?,?30-40 per tonne from ?,?1,300-1,350 per tonne ex-works a week earlier.The corresponding we...Read More
Stainless steel prices continue to register new highs around the end of the first half of 2021 and steelmakers continue to enjoy outsized margins.They have responded in recent months by increasing their output, which has now pushed above pre-pandemic levels and will eventually restore balance to the market.For now, though, supply gaps are still being filled and buyers find themselves competing aga...Read More
Brazil-based steelmaker Gerdau is investing in new flat-rolled and long steel rolling capacity at its Ouro Branco integrated mill in the country's southeastern state of Minas Gerais, chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck told journalists in a conference call on Wednesday August 4.The company will increase its capacity for hot-rolled coil (HRC) by 250,000 tonnes per year, to 1.1 million tpy, and...Read More
Key data from the Wednesday August 4 pricing session in London.Key drivers Spot international cobalt prices widened downward on cheap offers from sellers willing to take profits in a quiet market, amid seasonally slow trading. Some sellers insisted on...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday August 3 that are worth another look.Some overseas buyers have reneged on contracts for cold-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized coil exports from China after the recently announced cuts in value-added tax rebates for some steel products, industry sources told Fastmarkets.Nanshan Aluminum, which is...Read More
Aluminium premiums in the United States and Europe climbed further on Tuesday August 3 on tight supply in those regions, while premiums in Asia remained flat on muted demand.US Midwest premium jumps to fresh all-time highPremiums in Europe tick up on supply tightnessMain Japanese ports (MJP), South Korea premiums steady on thin liquidityUS Midwest premium shoots up by almost 10%Fastmarkets assesse...Read More
Due to a reporter error, the United States zinc and copper premiums for Tuesday August 3 were published in Fastmarkets' price book after the scheduled time of 4pm GMT.Fastmarkets' fortnightly assessment of the copper grade 1 cathode premium, ddp Midwest US and the zinc SHG min 99.995% ingot premium, ddp Midwest USwere published later than the scheduled time of 4pm GMT.For more information, or...Read More
Lower bids for Japanese steel scrap heard from key buyers, combined with the sharp drop in Chinese ferrous futures this week, have created a slide in sentiment across the major Asian steel scrap markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 3.Slide in Chinese futures market reduces cfr China scrap, billet pricesTokyo Steel drops scrap buy prices at Tahara works, except for Shindachi bushelin...Read More
An overview of the chrome ore and alloy markets in Asia, Europe and the United States on Tuesday August 3 and their latest price moves.China UG2 chrome ore prices rose following the surge in downstream ferro-chrome prices in recent weeks. Turkish lumpy ore prices also increased on high freight costs from Turkey to China. Domestic spot ferro-chrome prices adjusted downward after buyer interest weak...Read More
Manganese ore prices were under pressure from stubborn port inventories in China during the week ended Friday July 30, with buying sentiment further lowered by new cuts to alloy production to be imposed in the south of the country.Almost all manganese alloy smelters in Ningxia province suspended their operations from July 27 due to reduced electricity supplies, market participants told Fastmarkets...Read More
The latest data for global manganese ore market for the week ended July 30, 2021.Read More