The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Chinese blast furnace (BF) utilization rates have stagnated and iron ore port stock volumes are rising, reaching their highest levels since March, which suggests that iron ore supply is becoming excessive while demand is not growing. Unsurprisingly, prices dropped last week and we expect the trend to continue. The market has...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Prices of stainless steel are generally set to reach highs for the year as 2020 comes to a close. For the most common nickel-containing grades of stainless steel, this upward trend is being driven above all by rising nickel prices, which themselves are hitting relatively high levels into the end of 2020.The price increases si...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.While much commentary has been written about Asian economies performing far better than those elsewhere this year during the global Covid-19 pandemic, it is stainless steel markets in Europe and the United States that are ending the year in better shape than their Asian counterparts.We do not talk of demand levels or demand g...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.While a world leader in many areas, the United States is a relatively small player when it comes to stainless steel. It produces a small amount of material, both in absolute and relative terms (i.e. compared to the size of its population), while a large share of its industry is in the hands of bigger European companies. Never...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Having found it easier to increase prices than their counterparts in Europe and the United States during the past few months, Asian stainless steelmakers now face a number of concerns.In the short term, Asian prices have moved down in recent weeks while those in Europe and the US are on the up. This is mostly a reflection of...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board this morning, Monday February 1, this despite weaker-than-expected manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data out of China over the weekend.But perhaps most noteworthy has been the 8% rally in spot silver that has surpassed $29 per oz to challenge last August’s high.* March tin lower on Shanghai Futures Exc...Read More
Silver iShares (SLV) moved above $25.74 and $27.39 to an eight year high extending an intermediate uptrend. Silver Miners ETF (SIL) moved above $50.00 extending an intermediate uptrend.Pan American Silver (PAAS) moved above $38.69 extending an intermediate uptrend.Hecla Mining (HL) moved above $7.06 to a 10 year high extending an intermediate uptrend.First Majestic Silver (FR.TO AG) moved above Cd...Read More
Swedish steelmakers SSAB no longer plans to acquire the Ijmuiden plant in the Netherlands off of Tata Steel, SSAB said on Friday January 29.Tata Steel initiated discussions with SSAB on the sale of its IJmuiden plant in the Netherlands and related downstream assets in November 2020. After the announcement, market sources said it would have allowed SSAB to increase its presence in Northern Europe.A...Read More
China's Baowu Steel Group, the world's largest steelmaker, is in talks with Shandong Iron & Steel Group Co for a potential merger.While a small segment of the steel market already had some knowledge of this development, particularly after Baowu Steel sent some of its company officials to Shandong Steel to conduct surveys on the topic of a merger, the matter became public after local media reported...Read More
General Motors (GM) plans to transition its entire light-duty vehicle fleet to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2035, bringing an end to its production of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. The automaker aims to go carbon neutral by 2040.A GM spokesperson told Fastmarkets that the company has set a goal to exclusively produce EVs in its light-duty fleet and discontinue producing internal combustion...Read More
Slab export prices from Brazil were unchanged in the week ended Friday January 29, with consumers cautious due to uncertainty in steel markets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil remained at $760-780 per tonne fob on Friday.Producers have been trying to sustain offers at $780 per tonne fob in the US market, but buyers are holding back in an attempt to...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) continued to drop toward the end of January as smelters cover cargoes that look to be delayed from Chile and Peru.What you need to know China smelters covering short positions exacerbated by Chile, Peru delays High sea swells are preventing cargoes from leaving some ports in Chile Las Bambas shipments have started to resume A...Read More
An overview of the new energy materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More
Tin's forward price rose by 1.5% in the week ended Friday January 29, while the rest of the base-metals complex on the London Metal Exchange, nickel and zinc in particular, showed lower prices than on Monday.This was blamed on several macro-economic factors turning sentiment downward for metals."With the exception of tin, across the board the base metal suite has come under pressure this week," St...Read More
An overview of the new energy materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ended Friday January 29.China Sentiment among buyers has been dampened by falling silico-manganese futures prices and a smaller-than-expected increase in Hebei Iron & Steel's February purchase price for alloy, accompanied by a reduction in the tonnage the mill plans to procure.The portside market r...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) continued to drop toward the end of January as smelters cover cargoes that look to be delayed from Chile and Peru.What you need to know China smelters covering short positions exacerbated by Chile, Peru delays High sea swells are preventing cargoes from leaving some ports in Chile Las Bambas shipments have started to resume A...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing sessions in the week to Friday January 29 in China, Europe and the United States.China Spot ferro-silicon prices narrowed upward by 200-300 yuan ($31-46) per tonne amid little liquidity due to a supply shortage, while sentiment strengthened after many mills raised their tender prices for February-delivery ferro-silicon. Hesteel, China's second-largest steel mill,...Read More
An overview of the new energy materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More
An overview of the aerospace materials markets and their latest price moves.Ewa Manthey and Michael Greenfield in...Read More