Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing sessions in China, the United States, India and Europe.India The Indian silico-manganese export price extended its current rally for a sixth week in a row, hitting its highest level since Fastmarkets started assessing the market at the start of June 2014.The market has rallied on renewed demand from Japan over the past few weeks, which happened earlier...Read More
Rebounds were under way in the base metals complex in London this morning, Friday June 18, while in Shanghai the base metals mostly reflected the weakness seen on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday.The more hawkish stance from the United States Federal Reserve on Wednesday lifted the dollar but has weighed on sentiment......as has China's decision to release state reserves of copper, aluminium...Read More
China has started cautioning state-owned enterprises (SOEs) regarding overdependence on imported commodities and overexposure in commodity-based financial derivatives, market sources told Fastmarkets this week.In the past few days, there had been rampant market chatter the country's State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission (Sasac) asking SOEs to report their positions in commodit...Read More
Hot-dipped galvanized coil prices were stable in Turkey during the week to Friday June 18 due to uncertainty over export taxes from China, sources said.HDG export prices from China also narrowed during the week on low demand after the European Union began its anti-dumping investigation into Turkish HDG, sources said.Domestic pricesFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HDG...Read More
The October rebar futures contract at the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose in the morning and dropped in the afternoon of Friday June 18 due to conflicting trends in the rebar market.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,970-5,000 yuan ($771-776) per tonne, up by 50-60 yuan per tonne. Northern China (Beijing): 4,930-4,970 yuan per tonne, down by 140-150 yuan per tonne The National Developmen...Read More
Brazilian slab export prices remained stable as buyers and sellers held their ground in negotiations for August-shipment batches amid high flat steel prices and raw material costs.Fastmarkets assessed the price for steel slab export, fob main port Brazil unchanged for the second consecutive week at $980-1,000 per tonne on Friday June 18.Sellers were holding offers at $1,000 per tonne fob to t...Read More
Prices in the Taiwanese containerized ferrous scrap import market rebounded this week amid improving sentiment and competition for material in the bulk market, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily price assessment for containerized steel scrap, heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20), United States material import, cfr main port Taiwan was $450 per tonne on Friday June 18, narrowing upward by $1 pe...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.As we approach the end of the first half of 2021, steel markets in Europe and the United States continue to heat up. This six-month period is largely unprecedented, with both steel prices and steelmakers' margins hitting a number of new record highs throughout.The rally is likely nearing its end, however, with global steel ou...Read More
Brazilian slab export prices remained stable as buyers and sellers held their ground in negotiations for August-shipment batches amid high flat steel prices and raw material costs.Fastmarkets assessed the price for steel slab export, fob main port Brazil unchanged for the second consecutive week at $980-1,000 per tonne on Friday June 18.Sellers were holding offers at $1,000 per tonne fob to t...Read More
The global lithium hydroxide complex extended its firm tone over the week ended Thursday June 17 against a backdrop of persistent supply constraints and optimism for growing demand.Battery-grade lithium hydroxide prices in both the domestic Chinese and seaborne Asian markets rallied because consumers are still finding it difficult to secure adequate feedstock. Battery-grade lithium carbonate suppl...Read More
Most base metals stocks in Shanghai Futures Exchange-registered warehouses decreased in the week to Friday June 18, with zinc recording the largest drop in percentage terms. Zinc stocks totaled 50,417 tonnes on Friday, down by 6,165 tonnes (10.9%) from 56,582 tonnes a week ago. The largest outflow was recorded at the R&S Logistics MHC warehouse in Shanghai, where volumes were down by 2,835 tonnes...Read More
Prices for shredded steel scrap imported into India and Pakistan have risen on active purchasing that tailed off toward the end of the week, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday June 18.Fastmarkets' steel scrap shredded, index, import, cfr Nhava Sheva, India, was $533.93 per tonne on June 18, up from $516.47 per tonne on June 11.Offers heard this week were in the range of $520-540 per tonne cfr, whi...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing sessions in China, the United States and Europe.China The impact of Inner Mongolia's move to raise electricity rates has continued to provide support for the current high prices, with suppliers offers broadly unchanged. Relatively tight availability due to a lack of stocks along with production cuts resulting from Ningxia's mission to conserve energy, reduce...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in China's domestic market edged higher on Friday June 18, while export prices fell as overseas buyers became more cautious due to the potential imposition of export taxes.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,500-5,530 yuan ($853-858) per tonne, up by 20-30 yuan per tonne.Northern China (Tangshan): weekly assessment: 5,450-5,480 yuan per tonne, down by 90-100 yuan per tonne.S...Read More
The EU member states have voted in favor of the proposed extension of the safeguard measures on imports of steel products, market sources told Fastmarkets on Friday June 18.The vote was supported by 17 member states, the sources said.The European Commission had not released an official statement at the time of publication.On June 11, the Commission sent a draft proposal to the World Trade Organiza...Read More
European passenger car registrations in May 2021 increased by 53.4% year-on-year, yet remained significantly below the level seen two years ago in May 2019, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Thursday June 17."In May 2021, passenger car registrations in the EU rose [to] 891,665 units. Nevertheless, last month's result is still far below the 1.2 million cars that were...Read More
Prices for flat-rolled steel products imported into South America increased in the week ended Friday June 18 amid reports of higher freight rates and more expensive deals.Demand for August-shipment material was steady, and close to levels seen in previous months, according to market participants. But clients were still uneasy due to the possibility of tax changes in China.Most sources were expecti...Read More
The price range for inter-merchant light iron scrap in the United Kingdom hit an 11-year high on June 18 with suppliers increasing their offer prices in the domestic market due to relatively tight supplies and firm demand from major scrap processors, sources told Fastmarkets.Light iron scrap prices were up by ?5-10 ($ 6.98-13.95) per tonne in the week to June 18 as processors looked to secure fee...Read More
The latest analysis from recent activity on the CME Group's cobalt metal futures contract, cash-settled against Fastmarkets' price assessment for cobalt, standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam.Key tradesJune 2, 2021: 120 tonnes (10 tonnes each month from January to December 2022, all at $21.45 per lb)June 17, 2021: 240 tonnes (10 tonnes each month from January to December 2022, all at $22.95 per lb; 10...Read More
Prices for shredded steel scrap imported into India and Pakistan have risen on active purchasing that tailed off toward the end of the week, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday June 18.Fastmarkets' steel scrap shredded, index, import, cfr Nhava Sheva, India, was $533.93 per tonne on June 18, up from $516.47 per tonne on June 11.Offers heard this week were in the range of $520-540 per tonne cfr, whi...Read More