Tight supply and steep backwardation on London Metals Exchange continued to support European premiums while China premiums retreated slightly amid increased arbitrage loss, and US premiums were stable in the week to November 16, Fastmarkets learned.European premiums strong while long term contact negotiations for 2022 ongoingChina premiums slid amid increased arbitrage lossUS premiums unchanged wi...Read More
London Metal Exchange base metals prices mostly softened on the morning of Wednesday November 17 apart from those for aluminium and nickel, with the US Dollar Index rising to new heights. The US Dollar Index rose to 96.27 during early trading, its highest since July 2020. The three-month copper price was at $9,493.50 per tonne at 9am on Wednesday, down by 0.7% from its closing price of $9,561 per...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday November 17 that are worth another look.Regional cooperation, public planning and funding capacity for new technologies will be key for the Latin American steel industry to deliver reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the long term, top executives and experts...Read More
Steel rebar prices have been broadly stable in Southern Europe over the past week despite a slowdown in market activity.But producers continue to mull another price increase before Christmas, source told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 17.Fastmarkets' assessment of the price of steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Southern Europe was ?,?770-790 ($874-897) per tonne on Wednesday, wi...Read More
Domestic stainless steel prices in China maintained their downward trend for the week ended Wednesday November 17 due to soft demand.DomesticStainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic (Wuxi): 18,800-19,000 ($2,942-2,974) per tonne, down by 500 yuan per tonne from a week earlier.Downstream industries performed poorly, leading to lower stainless steel demand.Market sentiment became bear...Read More
Regional cooperation, public planning and funding capacity for new technologies will be key for the Latin American steel industry to deliver reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the long term, top executives and experts said in an event on Wednesday November 17.Steel companies have accepted the need to change their production models, but several challenges are in the way of reducing the indus...Read More
China's domestic rebar market resumed its downtrend on Wednesday November 17 on lower procurement rates among buyers. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,660-4,690 yuan ($729-734) per tonne, down by 40 yuan per tonneBuyers sought to buy at lower prices amid falling raw materials prices, which suggest a recovery in mills' profits.For instance, Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe fines,...Read More
Base metals futures on the London Metal Exchange were largely lower at the 5pm close on Wednesday November 17, succumbing to a strong US dollar index and other headwinds.The US dollar index remained at its highest since July 2020, touching 96.27 during early trading before stepping back to 95.83 at the close."It seems that the upside momentum has stalled in several markets over the last 24 ho...Read More
Exports of finished steel from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) rose by 20.4% year-on-year in January-June 2021 amid rising demand in both Asia and Europe, according to the latest statistics from the South East Asia Iron & Steel Institute (Seaisi).Both long and flat steel exports flourished in the first half of the year, against a backdrop of rising prices and improved demand in...Read More
Traders selling Iran-origin steel billet were looking for new opportunities with the markets continuing to weaken in Asia, including China, which until earlier this year was the major outlet for Iranian semi-finished steel.Egypt removed its 10% safeguard duty on billet earlier this week and has begun to offer good opportunities for companies trading Iranian semis.Around 50,000 tonnes of billet wer...Read More
Silicon prices rose to a global record high in the July-September quarter of 2021 but Ferroglobe, the Western world's biggest silicon producer, lost money over the three-month period.A $90.8 million debt repayment offset the higher prices imposed for all of Ferroglobe's products, contributing to a $97.6 million loss in the third quarter, according to a company results statement released on Wednesd...Read More
MineHub Technologies Inc has launched an application to digitalize and streamline the assay exchange process between buyer, seller and laboratories in base metal concentrates transactions, the blockchain technology platform said.The application, known as MineHub Assay Exchange, is the first in a series of network applications for concentrates that the company intends to roll out over the next mont...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday November 16 that are worth another look.The Chinese government is in discussions with multiple metal industry bodies on suspending the publication of data related to the country's progress in achieving its ambitions for "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality," sources have told Fastmarkets.The lower...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday November 16 that are worth another look.The Chinese government is in discussions with multiple metal industry bodies on suspending the publication of data related to the country's progress in achieving its ambitions for "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality," sources have told Fastmarkets.The lower...Read More
MineHub Technologies Inc has launched an application to digitalize and streamline the assay exchange process between buyer, seller and laboratories in base metal concentrates transactions, the blockchain technology platform said.The application, known as MineHub Assay Exchange, is the first in a series of network applications for concentrates that the company intends to roll out over the next mont...Read More
Although ferro-alloy prices have sharply climbed, steelmakers are unlikely to reduce their consumption of these raw materials given the small share of steel production costs it accounts for and the likelihood that prices will move down in the near-term, panelists said on Monday November 16 during Fastmarkets' International Ferro-alloys Conference.During the session titled "Steel Mill Panel Discuss...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday November 16 that are worth another look.The Chinese government is in discussions with multiple metal industry bodies on suspending the publication of data related to the country's progress in achieving its ambitions for "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality," sources have told Fastmarkets.The lower...Read More
General Motors (GM) plans to extend its control of the midstream processing chain in the next 18 months while it gets battery plants in the United States up and running, a senior company executive at the automotive manufacturer said.This is also part of a push by the automaker to create a greener supply chain via reduced movement of materials around the world, GM manager of energy environment and...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' ferro-silicon pricing sessions in China, Europe and the United States on the week ended Tuesday November 16.China Ferro-chrome producers in Inner Mongolia and Guangxi are running at high production rates, which could pressure alloy prices and increase chrome ore consumption.Spot ferro-chrome dropped again after suppliers lowered offers to destock. The improved productio...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday November 16 that are worth another look.The Chinese government is in discussions with multiple metal industry bodies on suspending the publication of data related to the country's progress in achieving its ambitions for "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality," sources have told Fastmarkets.The lower...Read More