The price of standard-grade cobalt has hit a fresh high, reaching numbers not seen in nearly two years after non-Chinese consumers stepped into the market in the week to Wednesday January 20, with enough strength to help a two-week price rally continue after buying interest from China dipped.Trading volumes were now at "normal" levels, according to one trader, after two weeks of furious activity w...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday January 20 that are worth another look.Brazil-based miner Vale said its sales have not been affected by a fire that impacted one of its piers at the Ponta do Madeira port...Read More
Fastmarkets' Ferrous Analytics report helps subscribers keep track of hot metal costs and steel production spreads in China, along with key pricing components of the steelmaking raw materials supply chain in Asia. Read More
The price of tin rose by more than 2% and copper rose to more than $8,000 per tonne on Wednesday January 20, with the London Metal Exchange base-metals complex bullish at the start of the Biden presidential administration in the United States."Risk sentiment was positively skewed on January 20 on the official inauguration of the newly elected President of the United States, Joe Biden," Fastmarkets...Read More
The London Metal Exchange's trading ring no longer serves an "irreplaceable function" and its permanent closure is inevitable, market participants have told Fastmarkets.But despite the possibility of losing the ring, the LME will still have a unique - and important - selling point, they said: its daily prompt date structure."On a personal front, it will be sad to see the trading floor sh...Read More
The premium hard coking coal fob price jumped on Wednesday January 20 following two transactions sealed at higher prices while Russian low-volatility pulverized coal injection (PCI) cfr price hiked, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $132.25 per tonne, up $8.44 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $208.44 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT:...Read More
Activity in the European market for hot-rolled coil was slow over the week to Wednesday January 20 with buyers holding back from making deals, sources have told Fastmarkets.Buyers have been cautious about deals due to long lead times and high transaction prices, and risks related to an expected price decrease, market sources said."Buyers are cautious due to the very high prices reached," an Italia...Read More
The price of tin rose by more than 2% and copper rose to more than $8,000 per tonne on Wednesday January 20, with the London Metal Exchange base-metals complex bullish at the start of the Biden presidential administration in the United States."Risk sentiment was positively skewed on January 20 on the official inauguration of the newly elected President of the United States, Joe Biden," Fastmarkets...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday January 20.Please click...Read More
Shanghai nickel plate premiums gained ahead of an expected lull before the Chinese New Year, while sellers in the United States eyed possible briquette premium increases in the week to Tuesday January 19. Anticipated arbitrage gains boost Chinese premiums. US briquette business reported across the range, keeping premium steady. Europe sellers see price correction imminent. China nickel p...Read More
The London Metal Exchange's trading ring no longer serves an "irreplaceable function" and its permanent closure is inevitable, market participants have told Fastmarkets.But despite the possibility of losing the ring, the LME will still have a unique - and important - selling point, they said: its daily prompt date structure."On a personal front, it will be sad to see the trading floor sh...Read More
Lead premiums in the United States continue to firm on supply shortages and consistent demand, while big deals being done in Indian and European markets are also starting to pick up, sources said.US lead premium hits an over three-year highGravita seals deal in IndiaEuropean physical zinc market fires upUS lead premium most since 2016, zinc premium holdsIn the United States, the 99.97% lead ingot...Read More
German automaker Audi has gained recognition for its sustainable and responsible sourcing of aluminium by attaining the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) "Chain of Custody Standard" (CoC). The certification applies to Audi's press-shop operations at two auto body plants in Germany - at Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt. The two plants produce automotive body parts&n...Read More
A summary of BHP's operational review for base metals in the first half of its financial year ended December 2020, released on Wednesday January 20. In brief Copper output was down by 5% year on year in the first half, while second-quarter production (October-December) was 4% higher than in the September quarter at 428,100 tonnes. Copper output guidance for the 2021 financial year was r...Read More
Crude steel output in Italy declined by 12.2% year-on-year in 2020, despite a double-digit increase in December, Italian steel association Federacciai said on Wednesday January 20.The country's total crude steel production amounted to 20.35 million tonnes in 2020, down from from about 23.19 million tonnes in 2019.Long steel output declined by 9.5%, to 11.16 million tonnes, down from 12.33 million...Read More
Producers across Europe have continued to increase their domestic offer prices for heavy steel plate despite the slow recovery of demand, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday January 20.Buying activity has started to recover since the year-end holidays across Europe. Market sources, however, questioned whether demand would become strong enough to support the price rise sought by producers....Read More
The domestic price for steel mesh-quality wire rod in Southern Europe was generally stable in a week to Wednesday, with buying activity reported to have slowed because of an unclear trend in the scrap market, sources told Fastmarkets on January 20....Read More
Prices for domestic steel mesh-quality wire rod in the north of Europe were largely flat in the week to Wednesday January 20, supported by tight availability, sources have told Fastmarkets.But market sentiment was unclear, they added, with buyers believing that prices have reached a ceiling.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Northern Europe,...Read More
Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe remained unchanged this week following a recent deluge of imports, which re-filled stocks for some market participants and took pressure off domestic mills, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday January 20.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?820-850 ($993-1,030) per tonne on Wednesday,...Read More
Domestic steel rebar prices moved up in the south of Europe on bullish offers from mills, while in the north of the region the market was largely flat with buyers cautious about the future trend, source told Fastmarkets on Wednesday January 20.Southern EuropeFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Southern Europe was ?,?615-630 ($745-763) per ton...Read More