Clive MaundThe market crash called for on the site on the 15th, right before it started, is now going full bore, and in this update we are going to consider the short-term outlook, especially insofar as it impacts upon our Tech sector puts, and also the grim longer-term outlook.A full-on "in your face" catalyst for the crash has arrived in the form of the Covid-19 or coronavirus, which has alre...Read More

Craig Hemke, TF MetalsBack in 2019, we often wrote of how Fed Chairman Powell was being painted into a policy corner by the bond market. We knew this would force fed fund rate cuts, and it did. And now here we are again in 2020.If anything, this isn't complicated. As last year began, the vast majority of analysts and seven-figure Wall Street economists were projecting rate hikes and a 4+% U.S. t...Read More

Steve St. Angelo, SRSrocco Report The Global Financial System is now under severe stress. While there have been many factors leading to up to this point, the situation that is unfolding in China and abroad seems to be speeding up the process. Yesterday, the market got a small WHIFF or WOKE up a TAD in regards to a global contagion and soon to be the rapid contraction of the JIT - Just In Ti...Read More

Gary Christenson, The Deviant InvestorFrom Charles Nenner: "It's Time to Sell." (January 28, 2020)"Market will go down 40%""We are totally out of stocks.""These bull markets don't stop on a dime.""Small investors are upset if they miss another two or three percent to the upside, while the big investor is afraid they can lose 40% to the downside."Breaking News: The DOW fell 2,500 since February 1...Read More

By: Gary SavageWe don't have the signs of an ultimate bubble top. What kind of behavior would show this? A mini bubble? Gold is anticipating inflation in the years ahead. Gold mining stocks $GDX technical update / baby bull high:http://blog.smartmoneytrackerpremium.com/Read More

China's steel industry has faced difficulties in production and sales since the first working day after the Lunar New Year holiday due to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, which has led to some 78,000 infections and close to 2,700 deaths in the country so far.Here are eight key effects of the outbreak has had on the Chinese steel industry, according to the China Iron & Steel Association...Read More

A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday February 26.Please click...Read More

Lead was the worst performer on the London Metal Exchange at the close on Wednesday February 26, wiping out all gains it made on Tuesday. The three-month lead price closed at $1,817 per tonne, down from $1,858 per tonne the previous day when it had risen by 2%. Forward spreads in LME lead remain in a backwardation but significantly narrower than the previous day. The benchmark cash/three-month spr...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices remained firm on Wednesday February 26, but some Chinese participants expressed doubts over the longevity of the strength given increasing concerns about the health of the global economy and with prices having been on an upwards trend for several weeks.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $159.30 per tonne, up $0.10 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, c...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-dipped galvanized coil (HDG) have narrowed upward in Northern Europe over the past week, supported by strong demand and an absence of imported alternative material, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 26.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HDG, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?580-600 ($630-652) per tonne ex-works on February 26, compared with ?,?...Read More

The availability of Iranian steel billet was limited in the export markets because of strong domestic demand, Fastmarkets learned on Wednesday February 26.Weakening of the local currency against the US dollar was the reason for the increased domestic demand, with imports being more problematical."Continued devaluation [of the Iranian rial] means that local traders will keep buying to hedge against...Read More

Metal and ferro-alloy suppliers in Europe are reporting strong call-offs on sales to European consumers, some of which are stocking up in preparation for any disruptions that might be caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (2019-nCoV).Cases of the disease caused by the virus emerged in Wuhan, China, last year and have now spread to Europe, with Italy being hit hardest. There had b...Read More

Lead was the worst performer on the London Metal Exchange at the close on Wednesday February 26, wiping out all gains it made on Tuesday. The three-month lead price closed at $1,817 per tonne, down from $1,858 per tonne the previous day when it had risen by 2%. Forward spreads in LME lead remain in a backwardation but significantly narrower than the previous day. The benchmark cash/three-month spr...Read More

Lead premiums have so far been unaffected by a widening backwardation as Indian consumers continue to buy from the spot market, while European spot zinc demand remains low amid stable premiums after the weakest consumption data in five years was announced for 2019. London Metal Exchange three-month lead spread was in a $54.50-per-tonne backwardation on Tuesday February 25 No sign of physical tight...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month copper price fell in the morning of Wednesday February 26, with fresh inflow of 62,335 tonnes across various locations putting pressure on the price.As well, the three-month nickel price failed to maintain Tuesday's gains.Copper's outright price was recently at $5,633.50 per tonne, edging closer to the $5,600-per-tonne support level after closing at $5,685 per...Read More

Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil in Europe were largely stable over the week to Wednesday February 26, with market participants receiving comparable prices for imported material. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel CRC, domestic, exw Northern Europe was ?,?545-570 ($545-570) per tonne on Wednesday, down by ?,?5 per tonne on the low end of the range from ?,?550-570 per tonne a w...Read More

Domestic steel rebar prices in Europe were unchanged this week due to a lack of both trading activity and demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 26.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?475-485 per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.The market was reported to be quiet this week because of public h...Read More

Industrial Metallurgical Holding (IMH) will start maintenance of a blast furnace (BF) at its Tulachermet facility early to reduce rebar supply in March from Tula Steel due to a weak market, the company told Fastmarkets on February 25.Tulachermet, which supplies Tula Steel with pig iron, will stop BF No3 for around a month from late March after previously planning to begin in April. BF No3 has capa...Read More

The mood in the European hot-rolled coil market has been bullish amid a lack of competitive import offers and domestic mills' good order books, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 26.Northern EuropeFastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, ex-works Northern Europe was at ?,?483.71 ($525.29) per tonne on Wednesday February 26, down by ?,?0.27 per tonne day on day from ?,?...Read More

The prices for hollow steel sections in Europe were unchanged this week with mills struggling to pass on higher feedstock costs to their customers, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 26.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?620-650 ($673-706) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.Despite the rising cost of...Read More