Improving sentiment in the European domestic and import flat steel market in recent weeks spurred Italian customers to accept higher prices for CIS slabs, supporting Fastmarkets' assessment range in the week to Monday December 23. The price of imported hot-rolled coils prices in Southern Europe has gained $20-30 per tonne since the beginning of December, while the domestic price has increased by $...Read More

Overcapacity in the global steel sector has been an issue for many years, but has intensified in the recent years, according to Ankur Dana, chief executive officer of Dubai-based multinational Dana Group .Global overcapacity causes steel prices to fall, so governments should only approve new capacities if there is need, Dana said at Fastmarkets' Middle East Iron and Steel Conference in Dubai on De...Read More

One of the main challenges facing the Middle East steel sector is a lack of protection in an industry where protectionism is increasing, according to Abu Bucker Husain, chief executive officer of United Arab Emirates-based galvanized coil producer Al Ghurair Iron and Steel.North America, South America, Europe and Asia have taken protectionist measures to curtail imports, and this opens up the Midd...Read More

The domestic price for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe remained unchanged day on day on Monday December 23, sources told Fastmarkets.Market activity has been low due to seasonal slowdown during Christmas holiday period in Europe but is expected to start to recover in the second week of January. Fastmarkets' daily index for steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, ex-works Northern Europe...Read More

RAPAPORT... It shouldn't be a novel idea, but in the jewelry industry,it's practically revolutionary. Unlike in almost every other fashion andaccessory retail sector, the idea of jewelers targeting female shoppers asdirect consumers only began to emerge fully in the past couple of years.But why has this strong and fast-growing segment beenoverlooked in the trade for so long? In this male-domi...Read More

RAPAPORT... Jewelers of America(JA) will expand its new marketing campaign following a successful test which reached more than 3 million unique consumers and garnered positive response."The industry came together and we were able to execute a campaign by the industry, for the industry," said JA CEO David Bonaparte. "The success of the test campaign gives us great promise for the future of a n...Read More

RAPAPORT... Pandora has elected Peter Ruzicka to succeed Peder Tuborghas chairman of the board, as part of its efforts to reinvigorate interest inits brand.Ruzicka's appointment follows the recruitment earlier this year of Alexander Lacik as CEO, along with other executive changes, as the company seeks to cut costs and improve its profit via its Programme Now strategy. Pandora announced in Ma...Read More

RAPAPORT... Swiss watch exports fell in November as orders from HongKong continued to slow. Shipments to all countries declined 3.5% to CHF 1.99 billion($2.03 billion) in November, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industryreported last week. That mainly reflects a 27% drop in exports to Hong Kong,which outweighed a 4.6% increase in orders from the US.Pro-democracy protests have devastated luxury...Read More

Anglo American has received an operational permit for a "downstream" tailings dam at its Minas-Rio expansion project in southeast Brazil, the company said on Monday December 23.In the final stage of its development, Minas-Rio is expected to achieve nameplate capacity of 26.5 million tonnes of iron ore by the end of 2020.The company forecast output for the unit for 2019 was 23 m...Read More

Turkish domestic auto bundle scrap prices continued to push up this week in line with rising imported scrap values, sources said on Monday December 23.Two steel mills raised their buy prices for auto bundle scrap by 60 Turkish lira ($10) per tonne in response to the rising imported scrap costs.Fastmarkets' daily index for steel scrap, HMS...Read More

The ferrous scrap market in the United States might be calmer in 2020, with metals recyclers potentially facing less volatility and price declines than in 2019, which could present a unique set of opportunities for buyers and sellers.Market participants do not expect the steep decline in prices that characterized the market in 2019 to reoccur due to the extent of that drop. Fastmarkets' asses...Read More

RAPAPORT... Martin Siegel, the chairman of Hamilton Jewelers who wasinstrumental in growing the US retailer's brand, died on December 17, thecompany announced. He was 86. Born in New Jersey, Siegel joined his father'sfine-jewelry business on leaving the army in the 1950s. He became president in1968, and served as chairman from 1994 until his death. The company now hasstores in Princeton, New Jerse...Read More

RAPAPORT... Lucara Diamond Corp. achieved higher sales than itexpected at its final tender of the year as market stabilization drove anincrease in rough prices.The owner of the Karowe mine in Botswana brought in $52.9million, 16% above its prediction, capping off a year of revenue growth, itsaid in a statement Wednesday."Though it is too early to call a trend, prices achievedin our final sale of t...Read More

Turkish steel mills booked one more deep-sea cargo for February shipment, with prices inching up further, market sources said on Monday December 23.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a 25,000-tonne Baltic Sea cargo, comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $303 per tonne, shredded at $308 per tonne and bonus at $313 per tonne cfr. The cargo breakdown was not clear at the time of...Read More

High-grade seaborne iron ore prices rose on Monday December 23 amid limited supply of the raw material, while those of mid-grade fines were slightly lower.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.33 per tonne, down $0.30 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.42 per tonne, down $0.30 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.33 per tonne,...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices stayed largely rangebound on Monday December 23, while market expectations for PCI prices were softer.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $134.97 per tonne, down $0.81 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $147.47 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $122.33 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $134.99 per tonne, u...Read More

Prices for seaborne iron ore concentrate dipped last week amid a wider retreat in the market for the steelmaking raw material, though those for pellets fended off the downward pressure.ConcentrateThe weekly Fastmarkets index for iron ore 66% Fe concentrate, cfr Qingdao stood at $107.93 per tonne last Friday December 20, down by $1.64 per tonne week on week.The daily Fastmarkets index for iron ore...Read More

China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices gained on Monday December 23 as supply remained short in the east of the country, but a mill based in northern China exported material at a low level despite high offers, market participants said.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,900-3,910 yuan ($556-558) per tonne, up 30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,640-3,650 yuan per tonne, widening upward...Read More

China's rebar prices were mixed on Monday December 23, with market participants divided in their outlook for the market in January.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,800-3,830 yuan ($542-546) per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,520-3,560 yuan per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneSome participants think inventory in the spot market in January will stay low, which will sup...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday December 23 that are worth another look....Read More