Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday July 29 that are worth another look.Industrial group Thyssenkrupp has agreed the sale of its mining business to Danish engineering company FLSmidth, the German company said on July 29.Former schoolteacher and union leader Pedro Castillo...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Global welded pipe prices surged in May as strong demand and still-insufficient supply lifted flat steel prices.The biggest jumps were seen in China, which was hit by the unexpected announcement of the elimination of export rebates on welded pipes in April. Chinese seaborne prices reached $1,570 per tonne fob for longitudina...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board during morning trading on Thursday July 29 given a range of price-supportive events, with nickel the standout performer with an increase of 1.4% from its closing price on Wednesday.The three-month nickel price stood at $19,810 per tonne at 9am on Thursday, up from $19,543 per tonne at the previous day's 5pm close. The metal a...Read More
The market for imported steel scrap into China remained quiet on Thursday July 29 despite contracts for rebar and hot-rolled coil on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rising sharply, sources told Fastmarkets.The most-traded rebar and hot-rolled coil futures contract on the SHFE ended daytime trading 1.95% and 3.34% higher day on day, respectively, on July 29."The gains in steel futures will have some...Read More
A multi-country trade case involving silicon metal imported to the United States concluded on Wednesday July 28, when the US International Trade Commission (ITC) decided to apply the recommended 12.27% anti-dumping duty on Malaysian silicon imports."The United States International Trade Commission today determined that a US industry is materially injured by reason of imports of silicon metal from...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:?EUR? US sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum persisting into June. Actual US hot-rolled coil prices averaged $1,553 per ton in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,540 per ton. Prices remain supported by strong underlying sup...Read More
Fastmarkets has modified the name of one of its Japan steel scrap export prices to reflect the product's usage in the market.Heavy scrap (HS) is a grade of obsolete scrap traded widely in the Japan and South Korea market, used for material of equivalent quality to plate and structural (P&S).Fastmarkets' price assessment for Japan export HS had previously been named steel scrap, plate and structura...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
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.United States sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum carrying into June. Actual US HRC prices averaged $1,712 per tonne in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,698 per tonne. Strong underlying supply-and-demand conditions both in the US and globally are supporting prices as well as long lead...Read More
A summary of the first-half production results from Anglo American.In brief Anglo American attributed an overall increase in copper production by 5% to the continued strong performance at Collahuasi and planned improved water availability at Los Bronces in Chile. Copper production at Los Bronces increased by 9% to 163,200 tonnes due to higher water availability owing to water management...Read More
London Metal Exchange ring dealing members have a decision to make - whether to remain one or not.The LME has just announced it will reopen the open outcry trading floor, which was temporarily closed due to Covid-19, on September 6.Its plan, however, comes with a twist; some ring dealers say, a knife.The official prices - which the global trade and industry use as the global reference for physical...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices and margins for stainless steel producers have risen notably over the past few months in both Europe and the United States, but there are now signs that the rally is petering out.A clear reason for the halt to rising prices comes from the near 20% drop in nickel prices seen in late February/early March,...Read More
The prices of billet in Turkey have weakened in the week to July 29 due to falling scrap import values, sources told Fastmarkets.The Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices fell in the week because steel mills resisted for lower prices amid limited steel trade. Fastmarkets' daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), US origin, cfr Turkey was calculated at $475.96 per tonne on July 28, down by...Read More
A summary of ArcelorMittal's financial results for the April-June quarter of 2021, according to its financial results statement published on Thursday July 29.In brief"On the financial side, the second quarter has seen a continued strong recovery backdrop alongside a sustained lean inventory environment," chief executive officer Aditya Mittal said."This resulted in even healthier spreads in our cor...Read More
Demand for steel rebar and billet in Egypt was low during the week ended Thursday July 29 due to market participants' expectations of changes in import duties, sources told Fastmarkets.Activity in the market resumed this week after the Eid al-Adha holiday celebration last week, and buyers preferred to hold off on placing orders.Egyptian rebar producers normally announce new prices at the begi...Read More
Former schoolteacher and union leader Pedro Castillo said it was not his intention to nationalize Peru's economy and pointed that the country needed a "new way of doing mining in its territory" in his inaugural speech as president on July 28. Castillo was elected Peru's new president after a contested second round of elections held in June. His left-wing party, Peru Libre, won 50.13% of valid vote...Read More
Recycling firm Chiho Environmental Group (CEG) has appointed experienced scrap industry figure Tom Bird as chief trading officer, the company announced on July 27. The appointment was effective from July 1.Chiho is China's largest scrap metal recycling company, running 700 yards globally with extensive operations in the recycling of ferrous and non-ferrous metals scrap. CEG also owns both German f...Read More
Brazil-based miner Vale expects to increase iron ore output in the second half of the year, because of advances in its capacity resumption plan, and expects the premium for high grade iron ore to remain strong.Vale has reiterated its guidance to produce between 315-335 million tonnes of iron ore in 2021.Production is expected to reach at least 89 million tonnes in the third quarter and at least 85...Read More
China will raise its export tariffs on ferro-chrome and high-purity pig iron from August 1, its Ministry of Finance said on Thursday July 29.The export tariff for pig iron - classified under Harmonized System code 72011000 - will be increased to 20% from the current 15%, while that for ferro-chrome will rise to 40% from 20%, the ministry said.The increases are meant to promote the "transformation...Read More
Billet producers from the Commonwealth of Independent States increased offers for foreign customers this week despite the lack of inquiries from typical customers.Early in the week, market participants reported offers within the range of $650-660 per tonne fob Black Sea, but by the end of the week those had increased to $660-665 per tonne fob, while some producers mentioned even $670 per tonne fob...Read More