Fastmarkets reviews how much of the EU safeguarding import quota allowances for hollow sections has been used and by who, with an estimation of when they will be exhausted country by country at the current usage rates. Read More

The benchmark three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange was the standout of the base metals complex, continuing to edge higher at the close on Monday December 30 and ignoring rising stock levels. The nickel price closed at $14,315 per tonne, up $105 from Friday's close. It traded in a $200 range throughout the day, earlier hitting a high of $14,365 per tonne. Despite being the only bas...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices were stable on Monday December 30, with the result of a miner's tender not confirmed at the time of writing. Fastmarkets indices Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $133.65 per tonne, up $0.40 per tonne Premium hard coking...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly little changed on Monday December 30, due to continued quiet market conditions.Copper prices remained above $6,200 per tonne, but only edged up $5 to $6,219 per tonne from Friday's 5pm close. Meanwhile, aluminium prices dropped $5 to $1,820 per tonne."So far today the metals have been extremely dull and on thin volumes and for the gr...Read More

Copper has attempted to rebound since early September following a marked sell-off in the summer months where macro and fundamental forces have been prevalent.On the macro front, copper has benefited from a slight easing in US-China trade tensions and more monetary policy easing across the globe - including China, where copper consumption is the most exposed - that has shored up investor sentiment....Read More

The increasing consumption of scrap and a potential shift toward the electric-arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking route from the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) route in China are medium- to long-term threats to demand for steelmaking raw materials, while in the near team coking coal import volumes will continue to be affected by iron ore procurement strategies.This was the basis of Fastmarkets research team...Read More

The discount for copper scrap imported into China has narrowed in December because Chinese consumers returned to the spot market to fill quotas granted for the first quarter of 2020. Fastmarkets assessed the copper scrap No2 copper (birch/cliff) imported into China 94-96%, LME/Comex discount, cif China at 35-40 cents per lb on Monday December 30. That compared with 38-40 cents per lb a month...Read More

Ferrous scrap prices in most global markets continued to increase in the week ended Friday December 27 despite the traditional slowdown in trading during the festive periods. Turkey paused scrap imports amid holidays  United States scrap export offers increased on both coasts  Prices in Taiwan edge up despite weak trading  Upturn in global markets drags up Indian prices Turkey Tur...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday December 30 that are worth another look.Fastmarkets reviews how much of the EU safeguarding import quota allowances for hollow sections has been used and by who, with an estimation of when they will be exhausted country by country at the current usage rates.The benchmark premium paid for the supply of aluminium to main Japanese p...Read More

The spot lead concentrate treatment charge (TC) dropped in December in the first downward movement for six months.Lead concentrate TCs had tripled over the past half-year as an arbitrage that enticed Chinese buying for years finally closed. Fastmarkets assessed lead spot concentrate TC, high silver, cif China at $150-170 per tonne on December 27, down from $170-185 per tonne in November but u...Read More

The assessment for ferro-nickel with 26-32% nickel content in China fell to a discount of $1,100-1,300 per tonne on Monday December 30, its lowest level on Fastmarkets records and down 71.4% from last month. Fastmarkets' ferro-nickel premium/discount, 26-32% Ni contained, cif China is now at its biggest discount since the launch of the assessment on January 25, 2016. Market participants attri...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly little changed on Monday December 30, due to continued quiet market conditions.Copper prices remained above $6,200 per tonne, but only edged up $5 to $6,219 per tonne from Friday's 5pm close. Meanwhile, aluminium prices dropped $5 to $1,820 per tonne."So far today the metals have been extremely dull and on thin volumes and for the gr...Read More

The benchmark premium paid for the supply of aluminium to main Japanese ports (MJP) in the first quarter of 2020 has settled at $83 per tonne on a cif basis over the London Metal Exchange cash price.The settlement represents a decrease of 14.4% or $14 per tonne from the fourth-quarter benchmark of $97 per tonne, which was set at the end of September. Deals for more than 50,000 tonnes between three...Read More

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mixed at the close of the morning trading session on Monday December 30, but movements were largely limited amid the year-end slowdown.The exceptions to this rangebound trading were nickel and tin. The most-traded March nickel contract rose to 111,690 yuan ($15,963) per tonne at the close of the morning trading session on Monday, up by 1,700...Read More

The Commonwealth of Independent States export billet market was largely stable due to quiet trading conditions on Monday December 30 amid a pre-holiday lull in the region and in the customers' markets. "Major mills sold out of material scheduled for shipment in February and are now in wait-and-see mode before entering the market with...Read More

Fastmarkets reviews how much of the EU safeguarding import quota allowances for hollow sections has been used and by who, with an estimation of when they will be exhausted country by country at the current usage rates. Read More

China's rebar prices continued to gain on Monday December 30 following a rise in the futures market, which boosted trading in the east of the country.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,680-3,720 yuan ($526-532) per tonne, up 40-50 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,550-3,570 yuan per tonne, up 40-50 yuan per tonneA Shanghai-based trader said sentiment in the spot market was lifte...Read More

Import prices for rebar in Singapore were unchanged over the past week amid limited trading activity due to the year-end holiday season. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar) import, cfr Singapore, which mainly looks at cargoes sold into Singapore on a theoretical-weight basis, was $445-450 per tonne for the week to Monday December 30, flat from a week earlier."The...Read More

Hot-rolled coil prices in Asia have continued upward this past week to surpass $500 per tonne cfr Vietnam amid stable demand and increases in offers from sellers.Fastmarkets' assessment for steel HRC import, cfr Vietnam, which mainly looks at Chinese 2-3mm re-rolling-grade SAE1006 HRC and equivalent products sold into Vietnam, was $500-505 per tonne cfr for the week ending Monday December 30, up b...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, hot-dipped galvanized coil, pre-painted galvanized iron, steel plate, steel sheet and other flat steel products. Latest transaction: hot-rolled coilHot-rolled coilEast China, domestic, commercial-grade...Read More