(IDEX Online) - The IDEX Polished Price Index was up 2.20 per cent in June, as the rate of recovery speeds up and exceptional consumer spending shows no sign of slowing down. This inevitably fuels fears of a bubble that might, at some point, burst. But there's more to this than just pent-up demand. Consumers have been spending more for a year now since the first lockdowns were eased, and a bu...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Alrosa is merging the management teams for its remote Mirny mine with that of its Nyurba mining and processing division.Both teams are already based at Mirny (pictured), in the subarctic Russian republic of Sakha. The joint operation will improve efficiency, says the state-owned Russian miner, but will "free up part of the management staff". Mirny yields some of the world'...Read More

(IDEX Online) -  Firestone Diamonds has finally managed to offload its Botswana operation after six years and two failed bids.The UK-based miner accepted a a one-off upfront payment of just $50,000 from Botswana-based Visionary Victor Resources Proprietary Limited. The new owners will acquire the BK11 kimberlite diamond mine in the Orapa/Letlhakane kimberlite district, as well as Firesto...Read More

Base metals price movements on the London Metal Exchange were mixed during trading on Monday July 5, with copper and tin making the best showings among the complex.Copper's three-month price rallied upward by more than $130 per tonne during Monday's trading, to $9,511 per tonne at the 5pm close, from $9,376.50 per tonne on Friday, despite only 12,404 lots being traded during the day.While the stro...Read More

CIS export billet prices fell on Monday July 5, with customers pushing for lower rates because Russian mills are now looking to sell volumes ahead the introduction of an export duty in August.On Friday June 25 the Russian government approved a temporary export duties on 340 steel and non-ferrous metals sold outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The duties will apply from August 1 through to...Read More

Tina Litzinger has been appointed as Vale's head of nickel sales west.Litzinger will be responsible for the company's sales of nickel and cobalt...Read More

Base metals production in Peru increased significantly year-on-year during May due to the strong effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, but figures were also up on a monthly basis on better performances by the largest mines, the country's ministry of energy and mines, Minem, said on Friday July 2.Copper output totaled 195,999 tonnes in May, up by 52.63% from 128,412 tonnes in the corresponding...Read More

Market sources in Asia were still weighing the news of Russia's plan to impose an export tax on ferrous and non-ferrous products, but there were growing expectations on Monday July 5 that the fourth-quarter premium for aluminium imports on a cif main Japanese ports (MJP) basis would rise even higher than the current level.Russian aluminium will carry an export duty of 15% plus $254 per tonne from...Read More

Kalidas Madhavpeddi has been appointed as the new chairman at Glencore, the commodities company announced on Monday July 5.Madhavpeddi will take over from retiring chairman Tony Hayward on July 30. Currently non-executive director of Novagold Resources Inc, Trilogy Metals Inc and Dundee Precious Metals Inc, Madhavpeddi has more than 40 years of experience in the international mining...Read More

The bullish momentum in China's stainless steel market in the first half of 2021 will likely extend into the third quarter, which would underpin prices for upstream products such as nickel pig iron (NPI) and ferro-chrome, market participants say.But several mills' plan to put new capacity into operation could weigh on prices in the fourth quarter, which would affect the upstream market for these r...Read More

Nearby lead spreads are again in backwardation, with the metal's futures continuing to trade at a discount to cash prices on the London Metal Exchange on July 5.The LME's cash-three month spread is currently backwardated at $19 per tonne although cash-July and cash-August remain in small contangos.The LME three-month lead price has gained $12 from Friday's 5pm close to $2,312 per tonne."It's causi...Read More

ArcelorMittal will invest 750 million Reais ($148 million) in projects to strengthen environmental controls at its Tubar??o slab and hot-rolled coil facility in Brazil's southeastern state of Esp?-rito Santo.The investment will be part of a deal signed in 2018 with state and federal authorities, in which the company committed to a series of operational actions and investments intended to...Read More

The platform uses sources including satellite data to monitor up to 90% of global copper smelting capacity and is now also monitoring 96% of global nickel smelting capacity.June was traditionally a seasonally strong month for nickel, yet its global activity dispersion index was 49.8, the lowest reading for the month over the past five years, according to SAVANT.However it said the China Nickel Pig...Read More

Pakistan's government has removed some duties on imports of hot-rolled and stainless flat steel in its annual budget for 2021-2022, the Karachi Iron & Steel Merchants Association told Fastmarkets on Monday, July 5.The government made the announcement in its latest official budget statement, having suggested that it was a possibility on June 11.The annual budget was approved on June 29, and came in...Read More

Brazilian slab prices remained stable for the fourth consecutive assessment period in the week ended Friday July 2, with buyers and sellers continuing to dispute the price level.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, was $980-1,000 per tonne fob on July 2, unchanged since June 4.A little activity was seen during the week, with the market beginning to transitio...Read More

Base metals, iron ore, rebar and precious metal prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were up across the board this morning, Monday July 5, with all the base metals, apart from lead, also higher on the London Metal Exchange.Markets taking comfort from Friday’s US employment report. But markets likely to be quiet today with the United States celebrating Sunday’s Independence Day.Base me...Read More

Domestic prices for steel rebar in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow were largely stable in the week to Monday July 5, aided by solid demand from construction.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 72,500-75,000 ($990-1,024) roubles per tonne on Monday, including 20% value-added tax, unchanged from last week.High const...Read More

The domestic market for flat steel in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was broadly stable during the week to Monday July 5, with trading remaining slow amid expectations that prices will decline in July due to the effects of export duties, sources told Fastmarkets.Hot-rolled sheetFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled sheet, domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 105,00...Read More

July 3rd 2021The following notes were developed prior to my interview on Michael Campbell's Money Talks radio show on CKNW on Saturday. Trader's outlook for North American equity marketsSeasonal influences for North American equity markets are positive in the month of July (particularly in a Post-U.S. Presidential Election year). Strength is Post-U.S. Presidential Election years is related to...Read More

Turkish deep-sea scrap import markets were quiet on Monday July 5 with mills reluctant to buy scrap amid limited finished steel demand, while suppliers kept offers firm, market sources told Fastmarkets.Steel producers in Turkey booked four deep-sea cargoes last week, three of which were booked by a single steel mill.The most recent deep-sea transaction put the heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) price...Read More