Stainless steel scrap prices in the United States have stabilized due to serious shortages of scrap."With nickel about the same, the tight supply situation is creating a very slight uptick in 300-series stainless prices," one dealer source said."The lack of supply is the leading force of prices remaining firm to up slightly," a second dealer said.While demand has not really improved at the steel m...Read More

A broad base of markets are rebounding after China's move to boost liquidity and stabilize the market convinced many investors that the measures being taken will help cushion the economic impact of the Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Given that it is still early days in terms of discerning the medium-term impact of the Wuhan coronavirus will have on the China and, indeed, the global economy, the ri...Read More

Turkish deep-sea scrap markets went quiet on Wednesday February 5 after cargoes from the United States and the Baltic Sea sent prices down by about $10 per tonne, sources told Fastmarkets.News of two fresh cargoes on Tuesday February 4, caused a $10.38-10.54 per tonne drop in Fastmarkets' daily scrap indices. The drop in prices was expected by market participants because of wea...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices retreated on Wednesday February 5 while the market reacted to high steel inventories.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $81.31 per tonne, down $2.45 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $80.15 per tonne, down $2.45 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $82.54 per tonne, down $2.56 per tonne.58% Fe fines high-premium, cfr Qingda...Read More

The seaborne coking coal market regained some strength on Wednesday February 5, with a cargo of premium mid-vol hard coking coal fetching a higher price than a day earlier.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $150.69 per tonne, up $2.80 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $159.06 per tonne, down $1.07 per tonne Hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $127.01 per tonne, unchanged...Read More

The Asian scrap market is resting in a mid-week slump on Wednesday February 5 on the back of a string of Wuhan coronavirus-related fears.Shippers are now awaiting more announcements of mandatory quarantine periods - of up to 14 days - for vessels inbound to discharge ports.Key northern Vietnam port Hai Phong has stipulated that any vessels that have visited Chinese ports (excluding Hong Kong) in t...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 28 points in pre-opening trade.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news. Consensus for January ADP employment was 158,000 versus 202,000 in December. Actual was 291,000. Consensus for December U.S. Trade Deficit was $48.00 billion versus $43.10 billion in November. Actual was $48.9 bill...Read More

Global copper premiums were mostly unchanged in the week to Tuesday February 4, with broad illiquidity and macroeconomic risk-aversion a key headwind for spot demand, while an 11% drop in the London Metal Exchange copper price did not spark fresh buying interest.China's spot market barren amid logistics clamp Tenders are a key factor behind higher Southeast Asian premiums Strong availability tempe...Read More

Fears over a possible price slump for Chinese hot-rolled coil have led some traders to issue export offers that are significantly lower than those of mills.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,600 yuan ($514) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,270-3,300 yuan per tonne, widening downward by 30 yuan per tonneSellers in Shanghai kept their offers stable on Wednesday February 5, with trad...Read More

China's rebar prices held steady on Wednesday February 5 after several mills announced plans to cut production.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,360-3,400 yuan ($480-486) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,540-3,560 yuan per tonne, unchangedAt least seven rebar producers in eastern China's Shandong province have started maintenance on their equipment due to manpower shortages and subdued de...Read More

A broad base of markets are rebounding after China's move to boost liquidity and stabilize the market convinced many investors that the measures being taken will help cushion the economic impact of the Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Given that it is still early days in terms of discerning the medium-term impact of the Wuhan coronavirus will have on the China and, indeed, the global econo...Read More

The latest selenium transactions, bids, offersand assessments in Europe reported toFastmarkets.Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb and on an in-warehouse Rotterdam basis. Delivered prices are netted back.To view the latest price assessment...Read More

An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More

Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb on an in-warehouse (in-whs) basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb on an in-warehouse (in-whs) basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets...Read More

Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday February 5.Key drivers The price range for ferro-titanium has narrowed over the past week, with increased trading activity resulting in higher-priced deals in Europe. There was an increase in traded volumes reported, with  sources saying higher-priced sales from Europe to Asia had spurred domestic European buying inte...Read More

Fastmarkets has discontinued the calculation and publication of its MB-CO-0022 - China cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, ex-works, adjustment to the low-grade cobalt low-end price.The discontinuance of the China cobalt sulfate, exw standard-grade adjustment, which is calculated against Fastmarkets' assessment of the all-in exw China cobalt sulfate price and the low end of the standard-grade cobalt pri...Read More

Aperam chief financial officer (CFO) Sandeep Jalan has resigned, the stainless steel producer said on Wednesday February 5.Jalan, who is set to depart at the start of May, is leaving Aperam to pursue other career opportunities outside the steel and mining industry, the...Read More

Exports of ferrous scrap from Japan rose 3.4% in the full year of 2019, according to data from the Japanese Iron and Steel Recycling Institute (JISRI), amid lower local demand and higher interest from developing Asian markets.Overall scrap export volumes rose to 7.66 million tonnes over the 12 months of 2019, compared with 7.4 million tonnes in 2018.Falling electric arc furnace (EAF) output - down...Read More

South Korean steelmaker Hyundai Steel has introduced a new procurement policy for bidding on Japanese ferrous scrap with cost and freight (cfr) included, a company spokesman said on Tuesday February 4.Hyundai is to launch tenders in six regions across Japan, with prices to be negotiated on a cfr South Korea basis instead of the previous fob Japan basis.Fastmarkets understands the tenders will be l...Read More

Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; US-OTC: IVPAF) has updated the resource estimate for its massive Kamoa-Kakula project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Kamoa-Kakula - among the world's largest copper deposits - contains 1.4 billion indicated tonnes grading 2.74% copper for 83.7 billion lb. copper and another 339 million inferred tonnes grading 1.68% copper for 12.5 billion lb. copper at a 1% cut-...Read More