The Friday Market Minute Global stocks drift lower ahead of U.S. GDP data later today and a mixed set of earnings last night on Wall Street.Analysts are looking for Q1 GDP growth of around 2% as the U.S. economy rides the longest advance on record later this summer.The U.S. dollar trades near a two-year high against a basket of its global peers as major economies continue to suffer from trade di...Read More
Ontario's Government for the people is protecting what matters most, supporting hands-on entrepreneurship and employment training in Sault Ste. Marie, creating two full-time jobs.Today, Ross Romano, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, announced the Centre for Social Justice and Good Works is receiving $73,755 to establish a chocolate manufacturing com...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves.Read More
* Central bank holds rate at 7.75 pct, as expected * Bank says inflation peaked, on track to slow* Interest rate cut possible in Q2-Q3 - central bank * Next rate-setting meeting on June 14 (Adds detail, analyst comments)By Gabrielle T?(C)trault-Farber and Andrey OstroukhMOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russia's central bank held itskey interest rate at 7.75 percent on Friday in line with marketexpecta...Read More
For the past several decades, energy consumption in the United States has been rapidly increasing. And in 2007, American energy demand hit an all-time high.That was before pulling back a bit and leveling off for a decade. But last year was a turning point for U.S. energy demand.In a recent report, the EIA says the U.S. consumed 101.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2018.That was 0.3% hi...Read More
The price of spodumene made its first move since December in the latest assessment on Wednesday April 24, narrowing downward by $50 per tonne. This means that spodumene prices have fallen by 30.48% between May 2018 and April 2019, due to the decline in lithium prices in China.Fastmarkets' monthly assessment on April 24 this year showed the contract price of spodumene (min 5-6% Li2O) at $600-700 pe...Read More
The Chinese domestic technical & industrial grade lithium carbonate price edged up in the week to Thursday April 25 on increasing demand and squeezed supply due to maintenance work carried out by some producers in China; other spot lithium prices were steady to lower. Increasing demand alongside routine maintenance at production facilities supported higher Chinese technical and industrial grade li...Read More
Import prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in South America fell during the week ended Friday April 26 with the region starting to demand more material from Russia and Ukraine, according to sources.Fastmarkets assessed HRC import prices on the continent at $550-570 per tonne cfr on April 26, down from $570-580 per tonne a week before.Chinese material was still being offered at higher prices, followin...Read More
Indian mills were likely to reduce their domestic prices for hot-rolled coil HRC) by about 1,000 rupees ($14) per tonne to boost sales and remain competitive against cheaper imported coil products, Fastmarkets has heard."Our HRC sales are suffering because imported material is being offered at lower prices," an official from an Indian steel mill said.The Indian domestic HRC price assessed by Fastm...Read More
Coated flat steel prices in Turkey fell in the week to Friday April 26, with demand soft in both the domestic and export markets.Demand failed to improve because of the weak Turkish lira and ongoing economic uncertainty in the country.The lira was trading at TRY100 to $17.0279 on April 26, compared with TRY100 to $17.4791 on April 12 and TRY100 to $18.7654 on March 1, according to exchange ra...Read More
While the cost of steel beams in the United States has continued to hold steady, slow demand and weakening raw material costs could prompt an official mill price decrease next month, sources told Fastmarkets AMM.Fastmarkets' price assessment for domestic W8x8 beams has remained at $43.25 per cwt ($865 per short ton) fob mill since late February, after that month's mill increases were passed throug...Read More
Indian secondary billet prices remained flat for the second consecutive week on Friday April 26 even as finished long steel product prices continued to slide.The Indian domestic secondary billet price was assessed by Fastmarkets on Friday at 31,400-31,600 rupees ($446-449) per tonne ex-mill, unchanged since last week."Secondary billet prices are stable only because there is not enough supply," an...Read More
Steel production has stopped at the Algerian steel mill of Turkish steelmaker Tosyali after a workers' strike began on Wednesday April 24, according to local newspaper reports. Tosyali could not be reached for comment at the time of publication. "Production at Tosyali has stopped, and in the past two or three days, we have seen increased Algerian interest for wire rod imports from Italy and Spain,...Read More
Global ferrous scrap prices showed varying dynamics in the week ended Friday April 26 following price drops in Turkey and Vietnam, while prices moved up in Taiwan and India. Only deal done this week sends Turkish prices down US export market remains static Prices move down in Vietnam Taiwan prices begin recovery India prices inch up on tight supply.Turkey importsThe Turkish mills remained mostly s...Read More
Pig iron export offers from the south of Brazil went down during the week ended Friday April 26 on lower local demand and a pessimistic mood among buyers, Fastmarkets has heard.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for pig iron exports from the southeastern Minas Gerais region of the country was $330-340 per tonne fob on April 26, widening downward from $335-340 per tonne a week before.One cargo of...Read More
Gold COT Report - Futures Large SpeculatorsCommercialTotal LongShortSpreadingLongShortLongShort 176,691139,29659,299154,403211,799390,393410,394 Change from Prior Reporting Period -6,52212,3568558,701-12,3333,034878 Traders 17490775752267184 Small Speculators LongShortOpen Interest 49,65529,654440,048 -3,567-1,411-533 non reportable positionsChange...Read More
Gold has failed to gain traction over the past couple months, normally a seasonally-strong time. That has really weighed on sentiment, leaving traders increasingly bearish. Gold investment demand has flagged dramatically with lofty stock markets spewing great euphoria. That's given gold-futures speculators the run of the market, where they have sold aggressively including extreme shortin...Read More
By: Avi GilburtI am not sure how much more I can add to what has been said over the last two weeks in the metals complex.At this point in time, it is quite clear that the metals are testing support. As specifically noted about silver, the 14.60 support region is what I want to see holding as support here. While I can accept a spike and reversal of that level, a sustained break of that level...Read More
It's like a breath of fresh air when the futures actually finish lower on the day. Granted, the S&P slippage on Thursday amounted to only a few measly points. Would it be churlish to hope it's the start of something really nasty? Bulls should be hoping for nothing less, since the broad averages, especially the Nasdaq, are desperately in need of a rest. Nitro-fueled by FAANG stocks, the Naz ha...Read More
By: Ira EpsteinSpecial Video in lieu of the daily metals update: Swinglines:Read More