The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials.Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreVale, Global...Read More

Eastern promise for PolarXSPONSOREDpolarxAltech ticks boxes on path to production SPONSOREDaltech chemicalsAn updated technical report said the company planned to expand the project from 85 million tonnes per year to 100Mtpy from 2023. The expanded throughput involves the earlier development of the adjacent Colina pit, the addition of a ninth mill, an expanded mining equipment fleet, additional co...Read More

Better Chinese manufacturing data has surprised the market and boosted three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange by an average of 1% this morning, Monday April 1. Nickel led the way with a 2.2% gain to $13,285 per tonne, up from Friday’s close at $12,995 per tonne, while tin was the laggard with a 0.4% gain. Aluminium, zinc and lead were all up by 0.9%, while copper was...Read More

Eastern promise for PolarXSPONSOREDpolarxAltech ticks boxes on path to production SPONSOREDaltech chemicalsCompany management believes that by proceeding with early works and financing activities in parallel, it can seek board approval to commence Rosemont construction by the end of 2019.Read More

Iron ore prices continued to strengthen on Monday April 1 on more news about supply disruptions.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $88.69 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $1.88 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $87.81 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $1.88 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $90.23 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $1.41 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $79.86 per tonne cfr Qingdao...Read More

Seaborne iron ore concentrate prices softened further and pellet prices strengthened a bit in the week ended Friday March 29. Trading remained inactive for both.ConcentrateThe weekly MB 66% Fe Iron Ore Concentrate Index stood at $96.73 per tonne cfr China on Friday, down by $0.90 per tonne from a week earlier.The daily MB 65% Fe Iron Ore Index averaged $97 per tonne cfr China last week compared wi...Read More

The weakness in the seaborne coking coal spot market persisted on Monday April 1 with participants anticipating further price decreases."End users are staying by the sidelines mostly because the market is still in a downtrend. This, coupled with the short-term uncertainties in the coke market, means seaborne coking coal prices will not get too much support," a...Read More

Rio Tinto has issued a warning over a possible iron ore output loss of 14 million tonnes due to disruptions to its production in Australia caused by a cyclone that hit the country's west coast last month.The miner said on Monday April 1 that it was expecting its Pilbara iron ore shipments in 2019 to be at the lower end of its 338-350 million tonnes guidance.The miner last week declared force majeu...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 5 00 futures were up 20 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to news that the China Caixin March Manufacturing PMI increased to 50.8 versus consensus at 49.9. An Index above 50 implies GDP growth at an increasing rate. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 2.6%.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of Febr...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were all higher during morning trading on Monday April 1 after being boosted by forecast-beating manufacturing data from China.Optimism about a potential Sino-US trade deal and low stocks in many of the metals also continue to bolster sentiment. The three-month nickel price rose furthest and is now trading comfortably above $13,200 per tonne, up by a...Read More

China's hot-rolled coil prices dropped slightly on Monday April 1 but trading activity was higher than in previous days.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,830-3,850 yuan ($571-574) per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,770-3,790 yuan per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneTrading was robust in the morning when prices were around 3,830 yuan per tonne in Shanghai, which motiv...Read More

Better Chinese manufacturing data has surprised the market and boosted three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange by an average of 1% this morning, Monday April 1.Nickel led the way with a 2.2% gain to $13,285 per tonne, up from Friday's close at $12,995 per tonne, while tin was the laggard with a 0.4% gain. Aluminium, zinc and lead were all up by 0.9%, while copper was up by 0.7%...Read More

Fastmarkets will cease the daily publication of its physical arbitrage for imports of copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel into China from April 1, 2019. The data will still appear in Fastmarkets' price book on a daily basis as usual, however.Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for imports into China daily by using the Shanghai Futures Exchange front-month and London Metal Exchange three-m...Read More

The United States has challenged European Union proposals to label titanium dioxide and cobalt as carcinogens on free-trade grounds. A communication issued by the US delegation to the World Trade Organization (WTO) dated March 21 raised concerns that the new labeling could represent a non-tariff barrier to trade. The delegation said that the new rules could be "unnecessarily disruptive to billions...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in London and Shanghai in the week ended Friday March 29. China Key drivers Some suppliers cut their offers for grade 553 silicon to stimulate sales interest after subdued demand abroad combined with fierce competition from off-grade materials.Tighter supply for grade 553 could cap the decline; some southern Chinese refiners have not resumed their operations due...Read More

A recent study by the U.S. Bank found that only 41% of Americans use a budget even though it’s one of the most effective ways to keep track of your finances. Building a budget, automating bills, consolidating debt, negotiating lower premiums…all these financial must-dos are easy on paper but for whatever reason prove challenging in practice. Why do you avoid doing what you know is best...Read More

Antimony prices in China and Europe fell across the board in the week ended Friday March 29, with consumers putting off procurement until after the April 1 when the Chinese manufacturing sector will have their value-added tax rate cut to 13%, leading to lower costs, sources said. The Chinese antimony price continued its downward trajectory for the fifth consecutive week after producers failed to s...Read More

Cobalt prices rose for the first time since late October 2018 at the end of March with traders and consumers restocking. Fastmarkets' benchmark standard-grade cobalt price assessment was $13.75-14.40 per lb, in-warehouse, on Friday March 29, up 2.2% from the previous $13.30-14.25 per lb on March 27, when they had risen 5 cents at the high end of the range. Fastmarkets' pri...Read More

South Korea's government and major steelmaker Posco both oppose China's ongoing stainless steel anti-dumping investigation and claim that no trade measures should be imposed because Korean exports do not damage the Chinese domestic industry.Hot-rolled stainless steel produced in South Korea has significantly different applications, materials and prices from those of Chinese products, thus there is...Read More

The Chinese ferro-silicon price moved up in the past week in line with upstream costs while suppliers look to new consumer tenders expected in the coming days; new quarterly settlements have weighed on the spot market in Europe. China heads higher on upstream costs  Chinese suppliers expect April consumer delivery tenders  Europe dragged down on second-quarter deals  US market rema...Read More