Some Chinese steelmakers are refusing to deliver January-contracted steel cargoes bound for Shanghai Futures Exchange warehouses to stem falling prices.Some steel mills in northern China said on Wednesday November 10 they will not deliver cargoes for January futures positions because their prices are too low compared with spot physical prices.The most-traded January rebar futures contract closed a...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were largely up at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday November 11, after a strong morning performance and reassuring news that emerged from the Chinese property sector."Chinese stock markets gained, on growing confidence that the authorities would ease the crackdown on the property sector and support developers," Anna Stablum, LME desk analyst at M...Read More
Johnson Matthey (JM) is pursuing the sale of all or parts of its battery materials division following a detailed review.This reflects the high capital intensity of those operations in the face of competition from more established large-scale, low-cost producers, the UK-based specialty chemical and sustainable technologies company said in a press release on Thursday November 11.Growth in demand for...Read More
Steel billet prices in Turkey have weakened over the past week amid limited demand in the country, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 11.Steelmakers in the country have been struggling with weak finished long steel sales in the export outlets. Therefore, demand for billet has remained soft.Suppliers in the Commonwealth of Independent States have lowered their billet offers t...Read More
China's output and sales of automobiles continued their year-on-year decline in October due to the continuing semiconductor chip shortage, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said in its monthly report published on Wednesday November 10.Automobile output and sales in the country dropped by 8.8% and 9.4% year on year respectively, both to 2.33 million units in October, CAAM dat...Read More
The capacity expansion at ArcelorMittal Brasil's Monlevade unit will serve either the domestic or export markets with high-quality special steel products, chief executive officer Jefferson De Paula told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 11.In addition to steel cord, the plant makes special bar quality (SBQ) products, springs and other material, mainly focused on the automotive industry. Strong dema...Read More
Steel billet prices in Turkey have weakened over the past week amid limited demand in the country, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 11.Steelmakers in the country have been struggling with weak finished long steel sales in the export outlets. Therefore, demand for billet has remained soft.Suppliers in the Commonwealth of Independent States have lowered their billet offers t...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 11 that are worth another look.The capacity expansion at ArcelorMittal Brasil's Monlevade unit will serve either the domestic or export markets with high-quality special steel products, chief executive officer Jefferson De Paula told Fastmarkets on November 11....Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 11 that are worth another look.The capacity expansion at ArcelorMittal Brasil's Monlevade unit will serve either the domestic or export markets with high-quality special steel products, chief executive officer Jefferson De Paula told Fastmarkets on November 11....Read More
European hot-rolled coil prices were stable to slightly lower on Thursday November 11, on subdued activity, but producers hope to achieve higher prices in the first quarter of 2022, sources told Fastmarkets.Trading activity was slow, with buyers refraining from making purchases and instead assessing the situation. Producers, meanwhile, were looking to achieve higher prices for the first quarter of...Read More
The copper scrap market in the United States primarily remained steady on Wednesday November 10, with market participants saying demand and supply remain in good balance.One seller said that falling demand overseas, namely from China, was currently keeping prices stable but that US demand remained very high. "If I have to pound the phone to sell copper, it's not hard to see it's an oversupply...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 11 that are worth another look.The capacity expansion at ArcelorMittal Brasil's Monlevade unit will serve either the domestic or export markets with high-quality special steel products, chief executive officer Jefferson De Paula told Fastmarkets on November 11....Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices rose on Thursday November 11, tracking the upward movements in Chinese futures and front-month swaps contracts, but most market participants remained cautious because of weak demand for physical iron ore, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $92.57 per tonne, up $3.67 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $94.03 per tonn...Read More
Nickel, a key raw material in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs), has gradually grown its market share amid a global shift away from fossil fuels.But with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries making a comeback in the EV market in China, a shadow is being cast on the growth potential for nickel consumption in 2022.The stainless steel market, which accounts for approximately 90%...Read More
Turkish steel mills were quiet in the deep-sea scrap import markets on Thursday November 11 after booking two cargoes from the Baltic Sea region, sources told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Marmara region had booked two Baltic Sea cargoes late on Tuesday November 9 at $497 and $500 per tonne cfr on HMS 1&2 (80:20) basis. Turkish steelmakers required more cargoes for December,...Read More
Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were for the most part firmer this morning, Thursday November 11 - it would seem dip-buying has dominated once again.Consumer prices in the United States and China rise more than expected.US Dollar Index shoots up to 95 while the rally extends.Base metalsThree-month base metals prices on the LME were mainly stronger...Read More
The Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbtrade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt...Read More
Prices for flat steel imported to the United States diverged on Wednesday November 10, with hot-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized prices falling while cold-rolled coil prices increased.This comes when domestic prices in the US have generally begun to level off. Fastmarkets' assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, import, ddp Houston was $1,440-1,510 per short ton ($72.00-75.50 per hundredwe...Read More
London Metal Exchange prices shook off a surge on the United States Dollar Index and were all trading higher on the morning of November 11, with the dip-buying trend continuing in the base metals complex. "While China may have the brakes on, the rest of the world still looks structurally bullish, with infrastructure projects under way, shipping congestion and low stock levels affecting availabilit...Read More
Turkish rebar and wire rod export prices remained largely unchanged over the past week amid limited demand, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday November 11.Turkish steelmakers have been offering rebar for export at $740-745 per tonne fob on an actual-weight basis since last week, but market participants said the workable price was closer to $730 per tonne fob. Fastmarkets' weekly...Read More