Seaborne prices for mid-grade iron ore came under some pressure on Wednesday December 18, with steelmakers in China continuing to show a preference for materials sold at Chinese ports.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $93.20 per tonne, down $0.87 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $92.29 per tonne, down $0.87 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $93...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 three-month prices of base metals on the London Metal Exchange traded in slim ranges to consolidate mixed at the afternoon kerb on Wednesday December 18.LME base metals three-month prices were seemingly torn between closing up on US-China trade talk optimism now a phase one deal has been agreed between the world's two largest economies, or down, capped by a stronger US dollar index, which was...Read More

A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday December 18.Please click...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday December 18 that are worth another look.Brazilian flat steel producers are seeking price increases of around 5-8% in 2020 annual contract talks with automakers, according to several market participants.The United States and China reaching a partial trade agreement elicited a muted response from metals markets this week.Mangane...Read More

RAPAPORT... De Beers has provided its rough-diamond clients andForevermark partners with guidelines on how to operate in the lab-grown diamondmarket if they wish to continue tapping into its branding.The mining company, which in 2018 forayed intogem-quality synthetics with the launch of its Lightbox brand, is demanding businessesmake full disclosure about their product, segregate synthetics f...Read More

Antofagasta Plc, through its Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) subsidiary, has filed for operational and environmental permits with state and federal authorities in the United States, the company said on Wednesday December 18.The project - through underground mining - will produce copper, nickel and platinum group metals when operational. The time to go from the study and development process f...Read More

RAPAPORT... Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) hasreelected Steven Cipolla as its chairman for another one-year term.Cipolla is president of National Chain Group, a contractmanufacturer and supplier based in Rhode Island. He has served on the boardsince 2013, becoming chairman in 2016. The board also took onfive new directors, who were elected tothree-year terms, the tra...Read More

RAPAPORT... De Beers' rough sales totaled $425 million in December,the highest since April, as lower price levels and better profit marginsspurred an upturn in demand from sightholders. Buyers are returning to the market after six months ofsluggish activity, market sources said. While sales were 22% lower than a yearago, they improved compared with November's total of $400 million, De Beersreporte...Read More

RAPAPORT... Italian luxury-goods industry group Altagamma has appointedPomellato CEO Sabina Belli as vice president of its jewelry division. Belli will take on the role in addition to her responsibilities at Pomellato. She has been with the Kering-owned brand since 2015,starting out as managing director. She previously worked as managing director of brand and communications at Bulgari. The g...Read More

RAPAPORT... Pandora has hired Carla Liuni as chief marketing officer as the jeweler continues it efforts to reignite consumer demand. Liuni was general manager of Procter & Gamble's luxury personal-care division, Prestige, for 20 years. She joined Bulgari in 2015 as worldwide head of marketing and communication. "As part of our turnaround program, we are significantlystepping up our mark...Read More

Spot activity was low across zinc markets in Asia, Europe and the United States in the week ended Tuesday December 17 with much of the focus on next year's contractual supply premium discussion. Market focus was drawn away from spot activity and toward next year's contractual supply premium discussions.  The International Lead & Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) says both the refined zinc and lead ma...Read More

Aim-listed miner Vast Resources on Wednesday confirmed that progress continues to be made towards drawdown of tranche one of the binding documentation with Atlas Capital Markets.Both parties are said to be working together with the intent to effect the drawdown before December 31, 2019.AdvertisementFurther announcements are expected as it progresses.To watch Creamer Media's latest video reports, c...Read More

RAPAPORT... Gemfields auctioned 12 parcels of rubies backed by G? 1/4 belinGem Lab's Provenance Proof program, the first blockchain-enabled rubies theminer has sold, it said Tuesday. "[The stones] have become the first Gemfields rubies ever topioneer the use of blockchain in facilitating improved supply-chaintraceability," Adrian Banks, Gemfields' managing director of product and sales,expla...Read More

The United States nickel briquette premium hit a fresh multi-month low in the week to Tuesday December 17, with aggressively low offers driving deals lower amid seasonal destocking, while premiums elsewhere were stable.China full-plate premiums stable; potential arbitrage loss dampening spot consumption and capping local premiumsEuropean premiums flat; fresh inflows of material into LME system fai...Read More

Shanghai copper cathode premiums dropped to a six-month low in the week ended Tuesday 17, while in Europe spot interest was muted as market participants eyed lower annual premiums for 2020 and in the Unites States the market remained flat amid poor demand.Shanghai deliverable premium assessments at six-month low EQ premiums trading lower in Shanghai Some sellers start to offer annual premiums in E...Read More

RAPAPORT... Alrosa will help launch a blockchain-based provenance program offering Chinese consumers greater transparency when buying jewelry via WeChat. The e-commerce program, apartnership with blockchain platform Everledger and Chinese Internet giantTencent Holdings, will be available to nearly a billion WeChat users, thecompanies said Monday. WeChat, which is owned by Tencent, is a m...Read More

Anglo American has announced that the value of rough diamond sales for De Beers’ tenth cycle of 2019 amounted to $425-million.This is an improvement of $25-million on the ninth sales cycle, which saw De Beers rake in $400-million.AdvertisementCEO Bruce Cleaver said that the company saw “further signs of steady demand” during the cycle following continued polished diamond price st...Read More

Fastmarkets MB has corrected its weekly assessment for its Zinc SHG 99.995% ingot premium, fca Singapore, which was published incorrectly on Tuesday December 17 as a result of an input error.Fastmarkets' weekly premium assessment for the Singapore FCA zinc ingot premium was originally published at $110-120 per tonne - it has now been...Read More