WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday praised Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who has come under scrutiny for his use of a security detail, chartered flights and a real estate deal, but seemed to leave open the possibility of replacing him.“We’re looking at that, and I do want to study whatever is being said. I think he’s doing an excellent job but we wil...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices fell further on Tuesday November 6 after sentiment was dampened by Tangshan's smaller-than-expected production cuts. DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,000-4,010 yuan ($578-579) per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,990-4,000 yuan per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneShanghai's HRC prices have fallen for a 12th day, with sentiment in the market...Read More
BERLIN (Reuters) - Pitching to succeed Angela Merkel as Christian Democrat (CDU) leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer promised on Wednesday a new chapter for Germany in which “people feel at home here” after a period of political turmoil marked by the rise of the far-right.Should she secure the CDU leadership, Kramp-Karrenbauer, 56, would be in pole position to succeed Merkel as chancell...Read More
LONDON (Reuters) - Stewart Ford, founder of now-defunct “death bonds” firm Keydata, said on Wednesday he might seek an appeal after losing a battle against Britain’s markets regulator over a record 76 million pound ($100 million) fine.Ford, who has fought the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and its FSA predecessor since it fast-tracked Keydata Investment Services into administr...Read More
Ferrous futures saw mild moves during Asian morning trading on Wednesday November 7 as the market absorbed more signals of lighter winter steelmaking restrictions.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 3,927 yuan ($566) per tonne, up 3 yuan per tonne January hot-rolled coil: 3,728 yuan per tonne, up 31 yuan per tonne Dalian Commodity Exchange January iron...Read More
As we have written before in this report, we believe that for the market to regain its footing and march to new highs before year-end in the face of higher bond yields, financial stocks will have to lead. Typically, banks and insurance companies benefit from higher long-term interest rates and a growing economy. If they cannot outperform now with US growth above trend and long rates rising, somet...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Thursday November 8.Aluminium prices ended higher on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday November 7 but a 10-year low in zinc inventories failed to boost the metal's price. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at the close of trading.The latest round of sanctions imposed by the United States on November 5...Read More
HELSINKI (Reuters) - The European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Wednesday it was impossible to say when divorce talks with Britain would be finalised and that there would be no deal agreed without a solid fix for the Irish border.“To be frank, we are not there yet. The clock is ticking. The choices need to be made now on the UK side,” Barnier told reporters aft...Read More
(Reuters) - U.S. Representative Steve King, an Iowa Republican, won re-election late Tuesday despite publicly losing a corporate supporter shortly before Election Day and being criticized by some within his own party for inflammatory remarks on immigration and race.Just days before the Nov. 6 elections, agricultural dairy cooperative Land O’Lakes pulled its support for King, saying it sought...Read More
Brazil's Gerdau expects international steel prices to remain at current levels throughout 2019, but is concerned about trade conflict pressure, president and chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said on Wednesday November 7.Market fundamentals are expected to be supportive for long steel, the company's main product, due to the US Section 232 tariffs leading to increased steel prices in the Unit...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa is likely to hold a parliamentary election in May next year, after the electoral commission announced a timeline on Wednesday, in a vote that will decide whether President Cyril Ramaphosa remains in power.The commission said the election would take place sometime between May 7 and August 5 next year but Ramaphosa, who has the final say on the date, has previou...Read More
(Reuters) - The United States on Monday re-imposed sanctions against Iran’s oil exports to punish Tehran for its involvement in several Middle Eastern conflicts.Washington had been pushing governments to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero. but fearing a crude oil price spike, it granted Iran’s biggest buyers - China, India, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey - sanctio...Read More
Latin American steelmakers are worried about the effects of the Section 232 tariffs imposed on steel imports into the United States, as well as a diversion of steel products to the region and low-priced material from China.Increasing protectionism worldwide was one of the factors behind the slow economic growth in the region, along with currency volatility and uncertainty in Argentina, Brazil and...Read More
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it hoped Russia would continue to allow Israel to strike Iranian targets in Syria, despite Moscow’s supply of the S-300 air defense system to the Syrian government.“Russia has been permissive, in consultation with the Israelis, about Israeli strikes against Iranian targets inside Syria. We certainly hope that that permissive approa...Read More
LISBON (Reuters) - EU regulators are close to wrapping up their third case against Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Google involving its AdSense advertising service, Europe’s antitrust chief said on Wednesday, suggesting the company may soon be hit with another hefty fine.The comments by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager come four months after she levied a record 4.34 billion euro...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued their deep-sea scrap purchases on Wednesday November 7, with prices remaining largely stable, according to market sources.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo, comprising 15,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (75:25) at $330 per tonne, 3,000 tonnes of shredded at $340 per tonne and 7,000 tonnes of bonus at $345 per tonne cfr.Another steel producer in t...Read More
Iron ore prices weakened on Wednesday November 7 amid steel market falls, while supply issues in Australia supported premiums for index-linked cargoes.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $75.27 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.47 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $74.30 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.47 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $78.38 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.92 per t...Read More
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif./SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Albemarle Corp’s (ALB.N) claim to have developed a unique process that would more than triple its lithium production from Chile’s Atacama desert without using more water is drawing increased scrutiny from regulators and investors pushing for more details.The development could help Albemarle cement its position as the world’s largest lith...Read More
ROME (Reuters) - Italy's government won a confidence motion in the upper house Senate on Wednesday on a contested security decree, which tightens immigration regulations and bolsters anti-terrorism and anti-mafia rules.The bill was championed by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who is also head of the far-right League, but was opposed by a handful of members of his coalition ally, the anti-es...Read More
(Reuters) - U.S. satellite TV service provider Dish Network Corp (DISH.O) reported a 5 percent fall in quarterly revenue on Wednesday as it leaked more subscribers in the face of cheaper options like Netflix and Hulu.Dish shed a net 367,000 satellite subscribers during the third quarter, far beyond a consensus estimate of 232,000 net customer losses, according to research firm FactSet.Net income a...Read More