China's domestic rebar prices continued to trend upward on Thursday June 10 after trading activity picked up in response to rising futures.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,000-5,030 yuan ($782-787) per tonne, up by 30-40 yuan per tonneTrading houses expect spot rebar prices to keep rising on the bullish sentiment in the futures market. As such, they raised their procurement rates to stock up on...Read More

Gold is okay, but not yet uniqueThere are times when gold is an okay inflation hedge, while under-performing the likes of industrial metals, oil/energy, materials, etc. During those times, if you’re doggedly precious metals focused you should consider silver, which, as a hybrid precious metal/industrial commodity, has more pro-cyclical inflation utility than gold.But as I have argued for muc...Read More

The worldwide shift toward cleaner, greenerenergy sources once again appears to be picking up speed.While the world’s focus on climate changeunderstandably took a backseat to the Covid-19 pandemic for most of the past 18months, that focus on climate change has started to return in a powerful way. In fact, our transition into a post-pandemicenvironment is triggering a number of significantopp...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories from Tuesday June 8 that are worth another look.A rise in Covid-19 cases in China's Guangdong province in recent weeks has led to tighter controls and rigorous testing at the huge Yantian International Container Terminal (YICT), causing extended delays...Read More

With the current situation suggestiveof a Monty Hall problem, investors are clinging to the first, bullish door. Butwhat if a different option is more likely?The Monty Hall problem is a form of aprobability puzzle, and what it shows is immensely unintuitive. Suppose you areon a game show, and you need to choose one of three doors. Behind one of themis a car and behind the others, goats. You pick a...Read More

The current upward momentum in pricing in the steel market should continue in the third quarter with support from short supply and solid demand, buoying an already optimistic market, the International Rebar Producers & Exporters Association (Irepas) said on June 4.EuropeRebar prices reached new highs during the second quarter of 2021 on support from long lead times, strong demand and limited impor...Read More

Brazilian iron ore producer Vale has halted part of the railroad it uses for exports following a warning from an authority about tailings dam risks, causing a production stoppage at its Timbopeba plant and Alegria mine, the company said on Friday June 4.The disruption will result in a production loss of 33,000 tonnes per day of iron ore fines at Timbopeba and 7,500 tpd at Alegria, it said. Both un...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday June 10 that are worth another look.The European Commission (EC) plans to set a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) for imports of some goods, including steel and aluminium, to prevent the risk of carbon leakage, according to...Read More

Ferro-molybdenum and molybdic oxide have traded at more than 10-year highs in Europe this week following a new wave of inquiries and fresh concern over availability. Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-molybdenum 65% Mo min, in-whs Rotterdam rose to $38.25-41.50 per kg on Wednesday June 9. Prices are up by  41.42% compared with the beginning of May, and material is trading at its highest...Read More

The United States' hot-rolled coil steel import prices have surged to an all-time high, with buyers worldwide competing for limited material."There's not a lot of steel available, not here or anywhere else," a distributor source said.Fastmarkets' assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, import, ddp Houston was at $1,540-1,610 per short ton ($77.00-80.50 per hundredweight) on Wednesday June 9, up...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-dipped galvanized steel coil in Europe were fairly stable in the week to Wednesday June 9, despite slower trading activity, sources have told Fastmarkets.The domestic prices have been supported by good order books at mills in Northern European, with Italian steelmakers offering material from fourth-quarter rolling, market sources said. Some steelmakers have also started off...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday June 10 that are worth another look.The European Commission (EC) plans to set a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) for imports of some goods, including steel and aluminium, to prevent the risk of carbon leakage, according to...Read More

London Metal Exchange ring dealing members have a decision to make - whether to remain one or not.The LME has just announced it will reopen the open outcry trading floor, which was temporarily closed due to Covid-19, on September 6.Its plan, however, comes with a twist; some ring dealers say, a knife.The official prices - which the global trade and industry use as the global reference for physical...Read More

Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."Not everyone will agree with his assessment of the petroleum, gas and coal sectors, which have powered the world's growth for decades. Nonetheless, the twin goals of supply chain security and sustainability are now driving a t...Read More

Bill Gates has a theory about green premiums: He wants to eliminate them entirely. The American business magnate and philanthropist calls green premiums the additional cost of choosing a clean technology over one that emits a greater amount of greenhouse gases.In other words, the price that metals and mining companies are starting to charge their customers for producing low-carbon produc...Read More

Australian coking coal export prices rose to their highest in nearly two years on June 9, having trended upward since May.Fastmarkets' index for premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT hit $168.50 per tonne that day.Market sources have attributed the gains to increased speculation and a wide spread between cfr China and fob Australia markets.Speculative cargoes swap boosts market sentimentMore speculat...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were little changed at the 5pm close of trading on Thursday June 10, with slight increases for aluminium and nickel, while prices dipped elsewhere on the complex.The three-month copper price fell by 0.9% to $9,890 per tonne during Thursday trading, down from $9,978.50 per tonne at Wednesday's 5pm close, despite reaching an intraday high of $9,992.50...Read More

Iron ore prices rose on Thursday June 10, on support from increasing steel prices, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $216.84 per tonne, up $4.17 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $219.04 per tonne, up $4.33 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $191.90 per tonne, up $4.02 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cfr Qingdao: $246.10 per...Read More

Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...Read More

As more investors move into silver to protect wealth in the future, supply may become an increasing problem, especially as... by Steve St Angelo of SRSrocco ReportU.S. silver imports remained strong during the first quarter of the year, with March posting the highest monthly volume. Not only did the United States import the most silver in March, it nearly accounted for one-third of estimated mo...Read More