Chilean copper production rose year on year by 2.32% in June 2021, spearheaded by an output increase by state-owned miner Codelco, national copper commission Cochilco said on Tuesday August 3.Chile produced 477,300 tonnes of copper during June, up from 466,500 tonnes a year before. But the volume was 2.03% lower than the 487,200 tonnes produced in May this year.June's output brought first-half cop...Read More
An overview of the consumer electronics markets and their latest price moves.Janie Davies, Cristina Belda...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price movesJanie Davies, Dalila...Read More
A rebound in Chinese ferrous futures prices on Wednesday August 4 has led to increased interest in booking seaborne steel billet cargoes in China, sources told Fastmarkets.Sharp drops in ferrous futures on both Monday and Tuesday sapped sentiment from the Chinese market, with buyer indications heard as low as $660 per tonne cfr China for 3sp billet on Tuesday.This was down sharply from the la...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
Steel scrap import prices in South Korea were likely to drop again in the next few days with buyers looking to take advantage of tepid local demand in Japan and falling prices in other key Asian import markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 4.South Korea likely to push Japan prices down furtherProduction curbs weigh on Chinese scrap demandOffers for bulk cargoes to Vietnam fallTaiwa...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed this morning, Wednesday August 4, and those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were all weaker. While the metals have generally found good underlying support, overhead resistance does seem to be capping the upside, which is perhaps not surprising because we are in the middle of the summer lull.US equities focused on strong results, less on t...Read More
Global commodities producer BHP's nickel sulfate plant in Australia is nearing completion and is now at the commissioning stage, BHP Nickel West asset president Eduard Haegel said on Tuesday August 3.Haegel was speaking to the Diggers and Dealers Mining Conference in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.The plant at the Kwinana nickel refinery in Western Australia has begun production, Haegel said. Tanka...Read More
The spodumene price skyrocketed in July with tight availability posting challenges to lithium operations in China, while suppliers intended to negotiate the price more frequently in light of the price rally in the downstream chemical market.Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for spodumene 6% Li2O min, cif China rose to $880-950 per tonne on Wednesday June 30, up by $195 per tonne from $690-750 per to...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 4 that are worth another look.Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), Russia's largest steelmaker, will increase output of hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil by starting up a new line at its Lipetsk site in the second half of 2022.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
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
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
Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe were unchanged on Wednesday August 4 due to the market heading into a seasonally slower period, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' assessment of steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,400-1,430 ($1,662-1,698) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week."Prices remain above ?,?1,400 per tonne and will stay there until S...Read More
Domestic steel wire rod prices in the south of Europe were broadly flat in the week to Wednesday August 4 despite seasonally slow buying and the availability of cheaper imports, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh quality), domestic, delivered Southern Europe was unchanged at ?,?830-850 ($985-1,009) per tonne on August 4.ItalyThe Italian market wa...Read More
A rebound in Chinese ferrous futures prices on Wednesday August 4 has led to increased interest in booking seaborne steel billet cargoes in China, sources told Fastmarkets.Sharp drops in ferrous futures on both Monday and Tuesday sapped sentiment from the Chinese market, with buyer indications heard as low as $660 per tonne cfr China for 3sp billet on Tuesday.This was down sharply from the la...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
Steel scrap import prices in South Korea were likely to drop again in the next few days with buyers looking to take advantage of tepid local demand in Japan and falling prices in other key Asian import markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 4.South Korea likely to push Japan prices down furtherProduction curbs weigh on Chinese scrap demandOffers for bulk cargoes to Vietnam fallTaiwa...Read More
A rebound in Chinese ferrous futures prices on Wednesday August 4 has led to increased interest in booking seaborne steel billet cargoes in China, sources told Fastmarkets.Sharp drops in ferrous futures on both Monday and Tuesday sapped sentiment from the Chinese market, with buyer indications heard as low as $660 per tonne cfr China for 3sp billet on Tuesday.This was down sharply from the la...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