Russia's economy ministry has proposed that the government impose temporary export duties on ferrous and non-ferrous metals sold outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), documents seen by Fastmarkets state.The duty will affect steel products as well as copper, nickel and aluminum.The change is because global metals prices are increasing, pressuring the domestic market, the country's minister of...Read More
The US government's Department of Commerce has banned imports of silicon from Hoshine Silicon Industry, the world's largest silicon metal producer, and four other companies in China's Uygur region, which the US accuses of using forced labor.Hoshine, and other banned companies, produce polysilicon which is used in computer chips. These are needed for solar energy panels but are in acutely short sup...Read More
Prices in the European titanium alloy and scrap market could fall in the near term amid signs of weaker scrap costs and little renewed consumer demand for third quarter deliveries, according to trade sources.While most industry ferro-titanium suppliers reported fairly stable prices this week, they also said trading activity has been quiet, much like the rest of the current quarter. Steelmakers tol...Read More
Much greater investment is needed to expand supply chains to secure critical minerals and expand manufacturing in key materials needed for the energy transition, according to the Acting Undersecretary for Science and Energy at the United States Department of Energy.These investments must ensure sustainable production, refining, and recycling capacity domestically, while ensuring strong environment...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday June 24 that are worth another look.The Brazilian capital goods association, Abimaq, will meet with China-based Baosteel and local trading house Comexport to pave the way for its members to import more steel amid rising prices and tight supply in the domestic market, the association said...Read More
The Hybrit initiative - SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall - has produced the world's first hydrogen-reduced sponge iron at a pilot scale, it said on June 24.The pilot plant in Lule??, Sweden has completed the test production of sponge iron and demonstrated that it is possible to use fossil-free hydrogen gas to reduce iron ore instead of using coal and coke to remove the oxygen. The sponge iron production...Read More
Hot-briquetted iron and ferrous scrap will become increasingly important as key steelmaking raw materials in Japan, according to SMBC Nikko Securities' senior analyst Atsushi Yamaguchi.Speaking at the Asia panel session at Steel Success Strategies 2021 on Wednesday June 23, Yamaguchi said the move will happen because of increasing concerns over carbon emissions in Japan, where major steel producer...Read More
Much greater investment is needed to expand supply chains to secure critical minerals and expand manufacturing in key materials needed for the energy transition, according to the Acting Undersecretary for Science and Energy at the United States Department of Energy.These investments must ensure sustainable production, refining, and recycling capacity domestically, while ensuring strong environment...Read More
The Hybrit initiative - SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall - has produced the world's first hydrogen-reduced sponge iron at a pilot scale, it said on June 24.The pilot plant in Lule??, Sweden has completed the test production of sponge iron and demonstrated that it is possible to use fossil-free hydrogen gas to reduce iron ore instead of using coal and coke to remove the oxygen. The sponge iron production...Read More
Shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) has launched a new carbon desk and offsetting service, part of a wider strategy to decarbonize its own as well as its clients' businesses, the company announced in a press release on its website on Thursday June 24.The broker will offer its clients compliance and voluntary offsets, as well as futures and options coverage. It also plans to make its global offic...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-dipped galvanized coil in Europe increased in the week to Wednesday June 23, supported by tight supplies and good demand, sources told Fastmarkets.European producers have full order books, with those in Northern Europe said to be sold out of 2021 rolling HDG, while Italian and Central European mills were still able to offer limited volumes for shipment in the fourth quarter...Read More
All base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange, except for copper, finished slightly higher on Thursday June 24, with the recovery continuing after last week's decline while the US Dollar Index consolidated on low ground to lend support to the complex.Nickel led the way on the LME, rising by 1.9% at the close of trading on Thursday to $18,407 per tonne, up from its Wednesday closing price of...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices increased on Thursday June 24 in response to futures gains on Wednesday, stimulating demand for restocking, sources said.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,820-4,850 yuan ($745-749) per tonne, up by 10-20 yuan per tonneOctober rebar futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchanged increased on Wednesday night to trade as a high of 5,022 yuan per tonne, up by 88 yuan per ton...Read More
Iron ore prices declined on increasing steel inventories and a high chance of stricter restrictions on steel mills ahead of centennial celebrations, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $213.46 per tonne, down $2.55 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $217.08 per tonne, down $2.26 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $183.86 per tonne,...Read More
All base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange, except for copper, finished slightly higher on Thursday June 24, with the recovery continuing after last week's decline while the US Dollar Index consolidated on low ground to lend support to the complex.Nickel led the way on the LME, rising by 1.9% at the close of trading on Thursday to $18,407 per tonne, up from its Wednesday closing price of...Read More
Much greater investment is needed to expand supply chains to secure critical minerals and expand manufacturing in key materials needed for the energy transition, according to the Acting Undersecretary for Science and Energy at the United States Department of Energy.These investments must ensure sustainable production, refining, and recycling capacity domestically, while ensuring strong environment...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday June 24 that are worth another look.The Brazilian capital goods association, Abimaq, will meet with China-based Baosteel and local trading house Comexport to pave the way for its members to import more steel amid rising prices and tight supply in the domestic market, the association said...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday June 24 that are worth another look.The Brazilian capital goods association, Abimaq, will meet with China-based Baosteel and local trading house Comexport to pave the way for its members to import more steel amid rising prices and tight supply in the domestic market, the association said...Read More
European manganese flake prices continued to surge in the week ended Wednesday June 23, boosting the premium for prompt material amid very tight stock availability in Rotterdam, Fastmarkets has heard.Fastmarkets' price assessment for manganese, 99.7% electrolytic manganese flake, in-whs Rotterdam, rose by 3% to $3,600-3,710 per tonne on June 23, up from $3,500-3,600 per tonne in the previous sessi...Read More
The Brazilian capital goods association, Abimaq, will meet with China-based Baosteel and local trading house Comexport to pave the way for its members to import more steel amid rising prices and tight supply in the domestic market, the association said on Wednesday June 23."We still don't know details about tonnage or types of products that will be needed," Abimaq's executive president, Jos?(C) Ve...Read More