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
The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame welcomed four extraordinary individuals during the thirty-second annual induction ceremony in January at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Industry giants Jerry Asp, Alex Balogh, Hans Lundberg and Eberhard Scherkus were celebrated for their exemplary careers and key contributions to the mining industry.Master of ceremonies Anthony Vaccaro, group publisher of The...Read More
Shares in lithium producers soared on Tuesday with the sector getting caught up in the investor enthusiasm for electric vehicle pioneer Tesla.Tesla's stock value has doubled since December, and the company is now worth more than Detroit's big three automakers - GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler - combined. Only Toyota surpasses Tesla's market cap of US$161 billion reached on Tuesday.Shares in US-based Li...Read More
Cardinal heading down familiar gold roadSPONSOREDcardinal resourcesSarama right in the middle of big exploration, corporate build-upSPONSOREDsarama resources Exore excels in Cote d'IvoireSPONSOREDexore resourcesCase study: platform financeSPONSOREDminexiaWell it's done. For better or for worse, we have cut the ties, severed the apron strings, waved a fond farewell and ventured out into the dar...Read More
BHP's (NYSE: BHP; LON: BHP) Escondida copper mine in Chile, the world's largest, will stop drawing fresh water from the Atacama salt flat, using instead desalinated water brought from its coastal plants.The miner's decision comes as the country is stepping up protections for a natural resource that has been depleted after decades of mining activity in and around the Atacama desert, the driest plac...Read More
Fundraising for mining and metals investment slowed dramatically in 2019, falling to an eight-year low, according to a new report by private capital tracker Preqin.Only four unlisted funds closed last year, raising a combined US$300 million for investing in the mining sector. That's down from US$2.5 billion in 2018 and nowhere near the peak of 2012, when eight funds procured a combined US$4.2 bill...Read More