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
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 31 points in pre-opening trade.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus for June Personal Income was a drop of 0.2% versus a decline of 2.0% in May. Actual was an increase of 0.1%. Consensus for June Personal Spending was an increase of 0.7% versus a gain of 0...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
Bangladeshi steelmakers have dipped into the market for small tonnages of containerized heavy melting scrap at slightly lower prices over the past week, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday July 29.Overall steel scrap demand remained low, with the country still in a strict Covid-19 lockdown and facing production restrictions, but a small number of deals were heard closed...Read More
Prices of hot-rolled coil across China's domestic market followed futures prices higher on Thursday July 29, while the export market remained muted amid persistent fears of changes in the export tax policy, sources told Fastmarkets.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,920-5,950 yuan ($916-920) per tonne, up by 40-50 yuan per tonneGains in the most-traded HRC contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchang...Read More
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
Chinese copper fabricators bought copper cathode at bigger discounts against exchange prices during a second batch of sales by China's state reserves administration on Thursday July 29. The auctioned material was sold at around 70,000 yuan ($10,767) per tonne in the provinces of Zhejiang and Ningbo, bidders told Fastmarkets. This is a discount of about 1,300 yuan per tonne against the August coppe...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States have surged above $94 per hundredweight ($1,880 per short ton) for the first time, after zooming past $93 per cwt on Wednesday July 28, with market participants projecting that the rally will not come to an end until late this year at the earliest.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $94.03 per cwt ($1,880.60 per...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
Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...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
Seaborne coking coal prices inched up in both the cfr and fob markets on Thursday July 29 amid supply tightness and firm buying interest, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $216.04 per tonne, up $0.49 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $317.22 per tonne, up $1.46 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $183.25 per tonne, up $0.84 per tonneHard coking coa...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe remained fairly stable on Wednesday July 28 despite slow trading and pressure from cheap import offers to Southern Europe, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand has been weak due to the seasonal summer-holiday slowdown across the EU.In addition, the number of offers from European mills has been limited. Suppliers in Germany were reported to be holding back f...Read More
China's domestic and imported ferro-chrome prices were both boosted again in the week ended Tuesday July 27 after major stainless steel mills raised their August tender prices by 2,400 yuan ($369) per tonne from the previous month, to a level not seen in the past 13 years.Due to continuing supply interruptions and strong demand for material, Tsingshan announced its tender price for August-delivery...Read More
Steel H-beam prices in Europe were stable on Wednesday July 28 following a seasonal slowdown in demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,050-1,080 ($1,239-1,275) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.A distributor said that mills were keen to push prices to ?,?1,100 per tonne, but this was not curre...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 28 that are worth another look.German steelmaker Salzgitter has delivered green strip steel to automotive producer Mercedes-Benz, the company recently announced.The main workers union at Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, has called on its members...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 28 that are worth another look.German steelmaker Salzgitter has delivered green strip steel to automotive producer Mercedes-Benz, the company recently announced.The main workers union at Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, has called on its members...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices continued to drop on Wednesday July 28 due to early-hour weak futures, but demand increased after typhoon In-fa weakened, sources told Fastmarkets.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,270-5,300 yuan ($810-815) per tonne, down by 10 yuan per tonneThe most-traded October rebar futures contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was lower than Tuesday's settlement price of...Read More
Copper premiums in China continue their uptrend with an rise in buying and an improved arbitrage, while premiums elsewhere in the world were stable in the week to July 27.European premiums were stable due to approaching holiday season Premiums in the United States were stable despite Comex copper prices hikeLondon Metal Exchange stocks were at 230,225 tonnes on Wednesday, their highest since...Read More
A growing number of steelmakers cutting production in China has prompted steel mills to reduce their consumption of direct-charge iron ore - iron ore pellets and lumps, market sources told Fastmarkets.Earlier in July, several steelmakers in various regions across China told Fastmarkets that they intend to keep this year's steel output levels from exceeding last year's.Growing uncertaintyThis has c...Read More