When considering the prospects for the new Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE) copper contract, a senior executive at one of the world's largest metals trading companies quoted Hamlet's soliloquy in the Shakespearian play of the same name."In terms of promotion of the internationalization of the renminbi and weakening of the pricing power of the [London Metal Exchange] and CME: 'To be or...Read More

A key topic reverberating around the Asian steel market over the past month has been the possibility of China reducing steel export rebates to 9% from the current 13%, or possibly axing them altogether.Market chatter on this topic has grown increasingly louder, with industry sources in China hearing more and more details about these plans from late January onward."This is likely in line with China...Read More

A shortage of containers to ship commodities around the world and the consequent soaring in associated freight rates have led to a revival of interest in breakbulk cargoes. Producers and physical traders of metals, agricultural, chemical and timber products have been starting to book shipments in breakbulk vessels, which cost far less and doesn't require vast amounts of equipment in port. On the m...Read More

Aluminium futures closed at a price of $2,218 per tonne on the London Metal Exchange on Monday March 15, showing almost double the volumes traded in copper, and with improved demand and tight availability of the light metal edging its price upward.The price of aluminium reached $2,235 per tonne during Monday, just $8 per tonne below its 2021 year-to-date high set on February 25, and finished at 5p...Read More

When considering the prospects for the new Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE) copper contract, a senior executive at one of the world's largest metals trading companies quoted Hamlet's soliloquy in the Shakespearian play of the same name."In terms of promotion of the internationalization of the renminbi and weakening of the pricing power of the [London Metal Exchange] and CME: 'To be or...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices were lower across the board on Monday March 15 due to weak trading sentiment after a heavy sandstorm in Beijing added to concerns about the impact of emissions restrictions in Tangshan on iron ore demand. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $163.33 per tonne, down $2.11 per tonne 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $163.61 per tonne, down $1.92 per t...Read More

The recent FOMC minutes are hawkish and negative for the price of gold, but the Fed will remain generally dovish for some time.Last week, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) published minutes from its last meeting in January . They reveal that Fed officials became more optimistic about the economy than they were in December. The main reasons behind the more upbeat economic projection were the...Read More

The narrow trading range in stocks continues, and theshallow sideways correction will eventually resolve itself with another upleg.The signs are countless, and the riskier part of the credit market spectrumagrees. As money flows from the Tresury markets, and sizable cash balances aresitting on many a balance sheet, there is plenty of fuel to power the S&P500 advance. With volatility in the tam...Read More

This boulder could be an indication of anexciting development in the lithium market.Why?Processed, that boulder is an importantingredient to power rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles like Teslas,BMWs, Mercedes, Volvos, Cadillacs, Hummers and a lineup of new entrants to theEV frenzy.And with demand for lithium in Europeprojected to rise 60X in the coming decade... This find couldn’t...Read More

Gold continues to wallow near its recent low price level, near $1765.  Silver has continued to trend moderately higher – but still has not broken out to the upside.  Many analysts have continued to estimate when and how metals will begin the next wave higher.  My research team and I believe we’ve found some answers to these questions and want to share our research.Silver...Read More

Just kidding. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway may or may not own copper stocks. I did not dig deep enough to find out. For the purposes of this post it does not matter.With the Buffett Buys a Gold Stock! hysterics last summer, the subsequent (and inevitable) fallout and the Buffett Pukes a Gold Stock! resolution, you never know. It’s worth asking the question about what sort of inv...Read More

Lithium-ionis about to take on a lot more significance. This is not about your iPhone anymore. It’s not even just about your electricvehicle. Lithium-ion batteries will power a large part ofour world in the future and are now an important aspect of amulti-trillion-dollar energy transition. That makes the world’s handful of lithium producersnow finally a hot item to...Read More

Metalsmarkets continue to diverge this week, with copper and platinum adding torecent breakout gains while gold struggles to find footing.Duringthis week’s selloff, gold revisited its lows from last November. A supportlevel exists at $1,750, but momentum selling could take prices down a bitfurther before technical gauges flash deeply oversold signals. Turningto silver, the white metal contin...Read More

It's not a matter of when inflation will arrive, it already has...By Matt from Silver Fortune via Silver FortuneIt's not a matter of when inflation will arrive, it already has. Read More

Stocks are predictably staging a continued recovery fromthe mostly sideways correction – a shallow one not strong enough to break thebulls‘ back. Credit markets are largely behaving – with the exception oflong-term Treasuries, which I see as highly likely to draw the Fed‘s attention – just as I discussed in detail yesterday. The S&P 500 keeps doing fine, and so do...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view. This month's key North American steel forecast highlights: US hot-rolled coil prices continued to move in line with our forecasts in February, although actual prices again modestly exceeded our forecasts. Domestic HRC prices averaged $1,194 per ton in February, exceeding our forecast price of $1,150 per ton for the month. U...Read More

Under the Biden administration the economy could overheat, thereby increasing inflation and the price of gold.In January, Biden unveiled his plan for stimulating the economy, which is struggling as the epidemic in the U.S. continues to unfold. Pundits welcomed the bold proposal of spending almost $2 trillion. Some expenditures, especially on vaccines and healthcare, sound pretty reasonable. Howeve...Read More

Lets start with the daily bar combo chart for the PM complex which shows the August trading range still under construction making lower lows and lower highs for the most part. Below is the daily bar PM combo chart showing the possible H&S tops. Over the last couple of weeks most of the PM stock indexes have formed a small blue consolidation pattern right around the neckline with most of them b...Read More

The conclusion of various holiday seasons, the end of winter, the progress of Covid-19 vaccination programs, and the will to return to more normal ways of life were all strong positives for the global long steel products market, the International Rebar Producers & Exporters Association (Irepas) said last week.The current situation and sentiment were generally very good in the world's long steel ma...Read More

The electric vehicle (EV) revolution isgaining serious momentum.According to experts’ projections, demand for electric vehicles should rise at a 21.1%Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) until 2026.The extraordinary demand that is forecast forEVs over the next five years has now begun to trigger a massive disruption inthe global energy markets. As demand for EVs continues to move higher,the d...Read More