Observers of the copper market are looking at a trend that started in 2001 to determine where the market could find support after five days of successive selling took the price to two-year lows by Monday August 5.At $5,665 per tonne, the London Metal Exchange's benchmark three-month copper futures contract was down by 5.9% since Tuesday last week, having sold off again on Monday amid a worsening d...Read More

Prices for flat steel imports into the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were stable in the week ended Tuesday August 6, with demand weak because of the upcoming Eid al Adha religious holiday next week.The market was expected to improve in the second half of August, when the eid, and the Hajj pilgrimage and holiday seasons, will almost be over.Some deals were placed last week, so buyers did no...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.Growing US crude production – particularly in the midcontinent and Rockies regions – is upending traditional Gulf Coast pipeline routes.The result? An unprecedented great American oil pipeline build-out. The shale revoluti...Read More

The Turkish steel mills continued to stay away from the deep-sea scrap markets due to the persistent weak demand for finished long steel products, sources said on Tuesday August 6.Since the mills in the country booked a number of deep-sea cargoes in the week ended July 26, they have made no further purchases.Turkish steel producers want to sell some rebar before making any further deep-sea...Read More

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The Midwest aluminium premium in the United States moved to its lowest level in nearly 17 months on Tuesday August 6, with buyers remaining detached from the spot market. Fastmarkets' assessment of the aluminium P1020A premium, ddp Midwest US, edged down to 17.5-18 cents per lb on August 6, down from 17.75-18.25 cents per lb previously, where the premium had held since mid-July.The premium has bee...Read More

The benchmark secondary aluminium alloy A380.1 price in the United States fell to a new low on Monday August 5, with the market pressured by a handful of producers continuing to aggressively compete for sales amid slowing die-caster orders.Fastmarkets' price assessment for aluminium alloy A380.1, delivered Midwest, declined to 65-68 cents per lb on August 5, down from 66-70 cents per lb in the pre...Read More

Prices for some aluminium scrap grades have continued to move lower, particularly the mill grades, due to a decrease in primary metal on the London Metal Exchange, sources said on Monday August 5."I would say prices have dropped a penny or two below [for mill grades]. I do think that smelter prices are dropping again also," one aluminium scrap seller said. "I don't know that we have seen a bottom...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 U.S has increased tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods to 25%, from 10%, impacting a number of metals. Commentary below comes from the Wood Mackenzie metals team:Copper By Wood Mackenzie Senior Consultant, Yanting Zhou"Previous...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.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

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

A recovery in the exchange rate between the Chinese offshore yuan and the US dollar helped to steady base metal futures in London on Tuesday August 6, after heavy losses in preceding days, although the price of copper, the complex leader, remained on a downtrend.At $5,683 per tonne on Tuesday, the price of copper, 3 months, London Metal Exchange Daily Official, was down by $2 per tonne from the cl...Read More

Switzerland-based commodities trader Werco Trade has hired metal concentrates trader Theresa Nepote as part of a push to expand the company's commercial capabilities, it said on Tuesday August 6.Nepote will join Werco as a senior trader, enabling the company to diversify into additional markets, the company said. She most recently traded zinc, lead and copper concentrates at Bluequest Resources an...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.India's renewables target of 175 GW capacity (100 GW of solar and 75 GW of wind) by 2022 is an ambitious endeavour. Even with significant cost declines, Wood Mackenzie expects about 76% of the target to be met by 2022 and this would s...Read More

RAPAPORT... The project by the Diamond Producers Association (DPA) testing lab-grown detectors has expanded to melee, a segment of the market highly prone to undisclosed synthetics.The Assure program reviewed 12 machines using asample of 1,000 mined diamonds and 200 synthetics, as well as 200 diamondsimulants. The stones ranged in size from 0.005 to 0.02 carats, with D to Jcolor.Six instrumen...Read More

UC Rusal has suspended operations at Russia's biggest alumina plant in Achinsk due to a series of blasts at a Russian military base nearby, sources close to the matter told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 6.Market participants said that a fire broke out at a nearby military base and an explosion was heard, which led Rusal - the largest aluminium producer outside China - to suspend its operations at...Read More

RAPAPORT... Tiffany & Co. will launch an exhibition in Shanghai, China, tocelebrate the greatest jewelry masterpieces it has created over its 180 years. The "Vision & Virtuosity" display, which will run from September 23 to November 10, will followthe history of some of the luxury jeweler's most iconic pieces and moments. "There are many incredible objects in the Tiffany archivesthat...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday August 6 that are worth another look.Lithium producer Orocobre and joint-venture partner Toyota Tsusho Corp have started construction on what will be the first lithium hydroxide plant in Japan. UC Rusal has suspended operations at Russia's biggest alumina plant in Achinsk due to a series of blasts at a Russian military base...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.Comstock Resources today tightened its grip on the Haynesville basin with a US$2.2 billion cash-and-stock deal to buy privately-held Covey Park.Robert Clarke, director, US Lower 48, at global natural resources consultancy Wood Mackenz...Read More