Shipping lines are opting to bring empty containers from the United States to Asia instead of carrying ferrous scrap due to strong US demand for Asia-origin consumer products, market sources told Fastmarkets this week."This is due to the potential of ferrous scrap causing damage to containers and shippers running out of space to bring in consumer products. They can make more money on the Asia-US r...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 26 that are worth another look. British Steel plans...Read More
British Steel has revealed its intentions to increase capacity at its Skinningrove special steel profiles plant in the UK amid improving end-user demand, the company said on Thursday November 26.The company is looking to recruit 41 people into manufacturing roles at its business in Skinningrove to meet the increasing demand for its products, it said.New hires will also enable the company...Read More
It might have been tempting to thinkthat the recent move lower in the U.S. Dollar Index would serve to push goldhigher, as it usually does according to the traditional pattern. But these areextraordinary times and there are too many external factors weighing negativelyon the price of the yellow metal.As if the previous vaccine announcementsweren’t enough, the latest vaccine trials from Astra...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 26 that are worth another look. British Steel plans...Read More
Domestic European prices for hot-dipped galvanized coil increased over the week to Wednesday November 25, due to a combination of low availability, good demand and higher feedstock prices, sources told Fastmarkets during the week.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HDG, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?660-680 ($786-810) per tonne ex-works on Wednesday, up by ?,?30-35 per tonne fro...Read More
Copper's three-month price finished above $7,400 per tonne at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday November 26, taking the base-metals complex on an uptrend across the board.The red metal closed at 5pm on Thursday at $7,402.50 per tonne, the highest since January 2, 2014, when it hit $7,460 per tonne. It was seen at $7,412 per tonne during the day.The high point for copper was the result of a 2.8%...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe increased again day on day on Thursday November 26, due to a materials shortage, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?561.25 ($668.17) per tonne on Thursday, up by ?,?10.80 per tonne day on day from ?,?550.45 per tonne on Wednesday.The index was up by ?...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday November 26 that are worth another look. British Steel plans...Read More
Copper's three-month price finished above $7,400 per tonne at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday November 26, taking the base-metals complex on an uptrend across the board.The red metal closed at 5pm on Thursday at $7,402.50 per tonne, the highest since January 2, 2014, when it hit $7,460 per tonne. It was seen at $7,412 per tonne during the day.The high point for copper was the result of a 2.8%...Read More
Iron ore prices gained on Thursday November 26 on support from decreasing steel inventories, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $128.39 per tonne, up $0.98 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $128.10 per tonne, up $0.41 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $120.67 per tonne, up $1.43 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cf...Read More
Seaborne premium hard coking coal prices in both the cfr and fob markets moved up on Thursday November 26, with trading in the fob market active while Chinese market participants expect the premium cfr price to go up further. Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $101.54 per tonne, up $0.04 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $164 per tonne, up $0.77 per tonneHard cok...Read More
The math INCLUDES the price of silver...(by Half Dollar) Happy Thanksgiving!Thank you for reading, and more importantly, critically thinking!There is a calculation I like to do from time to time, and I haven't done it for a while, so let me do it now.How much does it cost, on average, for one ounce of precious metal?And before anybody asks if that's a loaded question or something else that I'm to...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Fastmarkets analysts were invited to present our outlook for the coking coal market at Coaltrans Asia, held online on November 23-25. One of the key topics at the event was the trade tensions between China and Australia, which overtook Mongolia to become the largest coking coal exporter to China this year...Read More
The Turkish steelmakers have continued to make deep-sea scrap purchases at rising prices thanks to firm demand in the country's export markets for finished steel products, sources said on Thursday November 26.A steel mill in the Izmir region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 20,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $345 per tonne and 4,000 tonnes of bonus at $355 per tonne cfr.The same mill booked...Read More
British Steel has revealed its intentions to increase capacity at its Skinningrove special steel profiles plant in the UK amid improving end-user demand, the company said on Thursday November 26.The company is looking to recruit 41 people into manufacturing roles at its business in Skinningrove to meet the increasing demand for its products, it said.New hires will also enable the company...Read More
Positive sentiment as US holiday season begins. NRF retail group forecasts Nov./Dec. sales +3.6% to $755B as consumers show willingness to spend on spirit-lifting gifts after challenging year. Covid-19 continues to spread, with concerns about crowded shopping areas. Jewelers investing in e-commerce, pushing Black Friday promotions on social media. India sees release of pent-up demand over Diwali....Read More
RAPAPORT... Hong Kong-based Luk Fook will accelerate its expansion in mainland China, considering the market a strong source of revenues amid struggles in its home territory.The jewelry retailer plans to open a net 250 new mainland stores in the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, mainly in fourth- and fifth-tier cities, it said Thursday. The company also aims to develop its e-commerce...Read More
RAPAPORT... Marcus ter Haar stepped down last week as managing director of Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), the Botswana parastatal confirmed with Rapaport News. Ter Haar joined ODC as deputy managing director when the company was established in 2013, and assumed the top position in August 2017. The company has appointed Lipalesa Makepe, its chief financial officer, as acting managing director...Read More
RAPAPORT... Jewelry sales in India beat expectations during the Diwali season amid a release of pent-up demand and strong consumer confidence about future gold prices.Revenues were on a par with last year, or better, as Indians returned to shopping following lockdowns, industry executives told Rapaport News this week. Lower spending on travel and weddings freed up cash for jewelry purchases,...Read More