RAPAPORT... Consumers require authenticity and transparency these days, especially when buying something as meaningful and precious as natural diamonds. However, the sector remains tarnished by a reputation for dubious ethical practices, despite the fact that it is regulated.The conflict between this dirty industry image and the beautiful, shiny stones it produces makes it hard to alter perce...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Alrosa, Russia's state-owned miner, has named a 100-carat light yellow diamond after the country's COVID-19 vaccine.It says the gem (pictured) is a 100.53-carat flattened octahedron recovered from alluvial deposits in Yakutia, in the far east of the country, and is a natural wonder -  like the vaccine.Last September Sputnik V became the world's first approved co...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Angola's state-owned diamond company is partnering with the investment group Gemcorp to develop a pilot mining program in the remote north-east of the country.Endiama hopes the Mulepe diamond deposit, in Lunda Norte, will help Angola to become one of the world's top-three diamond producers.The site contains significant untapped kimberlite and alluvial deposits. Initial es...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The Gahcho Kue mine, in Canada, has yielded its largest diamond since operations began there more than four years ago.The 157.38 carat gem, described as being of "of exceptional quality", will be sold later this month at a tender of special-size stones in Antwerp.Canadian miner Mountain Province has named the gem Polaris after the North Star, because of its rare natural blue fluore...Read More

(IDEX Online) - US President Joe Biden has blacklisted three gemstone companies in Myanmar because of their links with military regime that ousted state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi as leader earlier this month.The country produces 90 per cent of the world's high-end rubies, many of its most expensive sapphires, and it supplies China with much of its jade.Sanctions now prohibit Myanmar Ruby En...Read More

An overview of the consumer electronics markets and their latest price moves.Ewa Manthey...Read More

A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday February 17.Please click...Read More

Aluminium's forward price on the London Metal Exchange rose to a new year-to-date high of $2,117 per tonne on Wednesday February 17, unfazed by the US Dollar Index reaching its highest since Monday, while movements across the rest of the base-metals complex were mixed.This was the first time that aluminium's three-month price had risen above $2,100 per tonne since October 5, 2018. It closed at $2,...Read More

High London Metal Exchange prices for zinc and lead have kept spot interest minimal for the sister metals in the week to Tuesday February 17. The demand outlook for zinc remains good in the Americas, signaling outright metal prices will hold on to gains. But the strong prices for zinc and lead discouraged trading activity this week. India lead premiums diverged in the primary and seconda...Read More

A summary of Rio Tinto's results for the full year 2020, to December 31, and its new emissions reduction goals. In brief Rio Tinto generated $15.9 billion net cash from operating activities in 2020, 6% higher than 2019.The improvement was primarily driven by higher iron ore prices and stability in its operating performance. Rio Tinto's underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation...Read More

The London Metal Exchange has increased oversight of its tin contracts in response to chronically tight spreads despite deliveries into its global warehousing system. Market players paid up to $4,500 per tonne to roll positions between the LME's cash and three-month contracts on Monday February 15, a record amount, while cash prices roared over 10-year highs and futures prices rose by a lesser deg...Read More

The London Metal Exchange base metals prices had a mixed reaction to the dollar index's second daily increase in the morning of Wednesday February 17, with the metals that set new highs on Tuesday - copper and nickel - edging lower while the rest were higher. The dollar index increased to 90.73 at 9am on Wednesday from its reading of 90.55 on Tuesday at the close, with the rise being even more sta...Read More

All future new-build vessels to be owned by shipping operator Maersk will have dual-fuel technology installed, allowing either carbon-neutral operations or the use of standard very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO), the company said on Wednesday February 17."Our ambition to have a carbon-neutral fleet by 2050 was a 'moonshot' when we announced it in 2018. Today, we see it as a challenging, yet achievabl...Read More

Sales of passenger cars in the EU dropped by 24.04% year-on-year in January 2021, the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Wednesday February 17.New car sales in the EU totaled 726,491 vehicles in January 2021, down from 956,447 units sold in the corresponding month of 2020."In January 2021, the EU passenger car market posted an accelerated decline, as Covid-19-related rest...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-dipped galvanized coil increased in Europe over the week to Wednesday February 17, supported by a material shortage, sources have told Fastmarkets.The bullish mood in the market might be undermined, however, by weaker demand from the automotive industry, market sources said.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil, domestic, exw Northern Eur...Read More

Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe have moved up this week but with feedstock tightness remaining an issue, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 17.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?860-880 per tonne ($1,043-1,067) on Wednesday, up from ?,?850-870 per tonne week on week.The price of hot-rolled coil has on...Read More

Recovery hopes tied into the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines and some brighter economic data has driven up bond yields that in turn has lifted the dollar, and that seems to be creating some hesitancy in the metals this morning, Wednesday February 17.* The US Dollar Index is firmer* US 10-year treasury yields have stepped up a gear as recovery is still being priced in* As a barometer, spot gold prices...Read More

Domestic prices for steel hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe have recovered, but were unchanged in the South, over the week to Wednesday February 17, supported by reduced availability, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?729.00 ($884.19) per tonne on Wednesday, up by ?,?1.50 per tonne from ?,?727.50 per to...Read More

Prices for steel H-beams in Europe have fallen this week, with a four week stalemate ending after mills reduced their offer prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 17.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?740-760 ($898-922) per tonne on Wednesday, down from ?,?750-770 per tonne one week earlier."[The cost of] scrap is again...Read More

Trident aims to fill valuable nicheSPONSOREDtrident royaltiesThe TSX and LSE-listed miner reported EBITDA of US$725 million in Q4, beating consensus forecasts of $712 million and well above a forecast by investment bank Jefferies of $643 million.Read More