While we may see silver's sell-off continue over the next few weeks, there is a positive sign. SRSrocco explains...by Steve St Angelo of SRSrocco ReportWhile the silver price is trading at another important short-term technical level, the underlying fundamentals continue to improve. Since silver peaked at $19.75 at the beginning of September, it has been correcting lower to key support levels....Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday October 16 that are worth another look.Slab shipments to foreign subsidiaries and affiliates of Russia's largest steelmaker, Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), fell by 43% year on year in the third quarter of 2019.A strike kicked off on October 16 at Antofagasta's Antucoya copper project after workers could not reach an agreement...Read More
Electric vehicles (EVs) are forecast to reach cost and functional parity with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2025. Theoretically, this should create the global tipping point for mass market EV adoption, along with the development of the associated charging infrastructure required to accompany the growth.In practice, it is not quite as straightforward.A recent report by investment res...Read More
The world's largest low-grade iron ore producer has confirmed that it will bid for two blocks at what is considered the world's largest untapped high-grade ore resource, a move that reiterates what the industry has been saying over the past few years - that demand for green iron ore or high-grade ore is a structural change in the making."Following the release of information at a public meeting hel...Read More
Global copper supply faces an immediate squeeze but any move in the price looks unlikely.Around 8% of mine supply of copper is at risk of disruption now or in the near future due to strikes, blockades and power shortages in production centers in the United States, Chile, Peru and Zambia.But at $5,700 per tonne, the three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange is near two-year lows and dow...Read More
The London Metal Exchange three-month tin price closed up $275 per tonne at $17,150 per tonne on Thursday October 17 on news that China's Yunnan Tin Co will cease all smelting operations at its Ausmet plant in Gejiu, Yunnan province, on October 21. Yunnan Tin Co, the world's largest tin smelter, produced 78,000 tonnes of refined tin in 2018 and remains the world's largest refined tin producer by s...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices were steady on Thursday October 17, with market participants in China indicating that import restrictions at Chinese ports had become less stringent.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $150.73 per tonne, down $0.87 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $164.76 per tonne, up $0.51 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $123.13 per tonne, uncha...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices continued to fall on Thursday October 17, with sentiment hurt by a continual weakening of rebar futures despite a drop in inventory levels for the flat steel product.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,500-3,510 yuan ($493-495) per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,500 yuan per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneMills lowered their offers in the...Read More
Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The Wood Mackenzie team will be presenting our analysis and perspectives on key commodities which include Copper, Nickel, Coal (met and thermal) and Aluminium. Join us at the Moscow Metals & Mining Briefing to discuss the issues f...Read More
Markets quiet amid Jewish holidays with steady demand forRapSpec A3+ goods. Indian manufacturers delay Diwali shutdown to increasepost-festival inventory. Trading slow at Bharat Diamond Week. Liquidity lowwhile companies settle supplier bills and pay staff ahead of Diwali. AlrosaSep. sales -24% to $259M, but small-stone demand recovering. Hong Kong protestshit luxury sector, with Chow Tai Fook 2Q...Read More
RAPAPORT... A fancy-deep-blue diamond ring with a highestimate of CHF 14 million ($14.1 million) will go under the hammer at Christie's GenevaMagnificent Jewels auction next month. The 7.03-carat stone,mounted by Moussaieff, will lead the November auction, Christie's said Thursday.Another prominent lot is a 46.93-carat, D-color, internally flawless diamondring, which is expected to fetch CHF 3.8...Read More
Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.On Friday 15th February 2019, Vale announced there was a fire affecting a conveyor belt system at its distribution centre in Malaysia. Vale anticipate this will result in a 10 to 15 day halt in operations and note that a planned 10 da...Read More
RAPAPORT... US retail sales stalled between Augustand September, indicating that consumer confidence may be waning in light ofthe escalating trade war. Total purchases for September -excluding automobiles, gasoline and restaurants - dipped 0.1% compared to theprevious month, according to data the National Retail Federation (NRF)published Wednesday. However, with the month also seeing 4.5% yea...Read More
Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.What does tight oil have in common with Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet's Google stocks (known as FAANG stocks)? Answer: tight oil is arguably the upstream equivalent of these tech sector leaders. It's the hot investment...Read More
RAPAPORT... Marvin Zale, son of Zales founder Morris Zale, and former vice chairman of the jeweler, has died at 89. Born in Texas in 1930, Zale grew up in his father's jewelrybusiness, which was established in 1924. He began his diamond education inAntwerp in 1948, returning to the US to serve in the army. He joined Zales in1953, working at various stores across the country. In 1958, he move...Read More
RAPAPORT... Lower mining grades and reduced ore availability contributedto a drop in Rio Tinto's third-quarter diamond production, the company reportedWednesday. Output at its wholly owned Argyle mine in Australiafell 7% year on year, yielding 3.6 million carats in the three-month periodending September 30. Production was hampered by lower grades, despite stronger mining and processing rates,Rio T...Read More
RAPAPORT... Hong Kong-based jeweler Chow Tai Fook has reported adownward trend in sales across both mainland China and Hong Kong in the secondfiscal quarter. Same-store sales of gold products - at branches open for atleast 12 months - fell 15% year on year in mainland China for the period endingSeptember 30, and 49% in Hong Kong, the company said Tuesday. Same-store salesof gem-set jewelry a...Read More
RAPAPORT... The World JewelleryConfederation (CIBJO) has produced a special report on ethics ahead of its annualcongress in Bahrain next month."Weaving It All Together: An Ethical Status Report at the End of2019," released on Wednesday, covers a variety of topics, ranging frominternational frameworks to advertising and disclosure. Its author is TiffanyStevens, president of CIBJO's ethics commissio...Read More
RAPAPORT... Christie's has appointed AntiquesRoadshow watch expert Michael Fossner to lead its west coast watchdepartment. The auctioneer has charged Fossner with leading appraisals whileguiding and growing the company in the region. He is also expected towork with colleagues in New York and internationally to win new business andbring key pieces to market. Fossner, who has appeared on PBS's...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Diamond producer Alrosa today (Thursday) reported that its Q3 2019 diamond production hit 12.1 million carats, with sales totaling 6.4 million carats by volume and $0.6 billion by value. The miner said the increase in output - up 24 percent quarter-over-quarter and 15 percent year-over-year, was due to the launch of production at new deposits and the expansion of existing area...Read More