The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange continued its upward trajectory during morning trading on Thursday August 8, rallying by more than 11% to reach its highest level in 18 months. Nickel's futures price reached an intra-morning high of $16,690 per tonne, appreciating by more than $1,800 per tonne, while more than 10,600 lots have already traded as at 9am London time. In what...Read More
A 3.3% year-on-year rise in China's exports in US dollar terms, which was above expectations, has provide some relief to markets, with Asian equities, base metals and precious metals up across the board.How long the more cheerful mood lasts is a moot point when generally the economic data is weak, there seems no let-up in trade disputes and judging by the strength of gold and the yen, and the weak...Read More
China's domestic stainless steel prices increased over the past week amid unabated concerns over Indonesia's export ban for unprocessed nickel ore, which is set to come into effect in 2022.Fastmarkets' price assessment for stainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic, ex-whs China in the country's major market of Wuxi was 15,000-15,400 yuan ($2,127-2,183) per tonne including value-added...Read More
Ferrous scrap prices are expected to remain stable in the United States through the second half of the year, compared with the downward momentum during the first six months, despite the recent recovery in prices, Gerdau chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said on Wednesday August 8.While US scrap prices rebounded in the August trade, Werneck did not expect that upward movement to continue over...Read More
Brazilian steel producer Gerdau took a stronger stance in negotiations with pig iron and ferrous scrap suppliers in the second quarter to keep its metal spread from falling, chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said in a conference call on Wednesday August 7."It has been difficult to pass on higher production costs in a low-demand scenario [by way of higher product prices], so we needed to take...Read More
The prices of steel billet and rebar in Egypt were stable in the week ended Thursday August 8 on demand that remained weak due to the continuing uncertainty over the country's import duties."Most of next week will be Eid al-Adha [religious] holiday, so there was no buying this week," a local market source told Fastmarkets.In April, Egypt imposed a temporary additional import duty on rebar and bill...Read More
Domestic prices for steel rebar and wire rod in Turkey have continued to fall over the past week due to the strengthening of the country's lira and limited demand, sources said on Thursday August 8.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, exw Turkey, was TRY2,920-2,970 ($530-540) per tonne on Thursday, down from last week's TRY2,980-3,020 per tonne ex-works...Read More
Turkish long steel export prices have gone down over the past week because of persistent weak demand, sources said on Thursday August 8.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), export, fob main port Turkey, was $445-455 per tonne on an actual weight basis on Thursday, down from last week's $450-460 per tonne fob.Turkish mills were offering the material at around $455...Read More
Diamond trade slow due to seasonal lull andmarket uncertainty. US jewelry sales compensating for weakness elsewhere, but retailersholding less inventory. New US tariffs on China imports to impact jewelers morethan diamantaires. Trade war affecting confidence as stock-market wealthdeclines, with Dow -3% (August 1 to 7). Political protests creating concern forimportant Hong Kong show. Yuan's devalua...Read More
RAPAPORT... Lucapa Diamond Company garnered $6.2 million at a tender ofrough stones from its Lulo and Mothae mines, bringing the total to $35.5million for the year to date. The miner sold 3,558 carats from its Lulo mine in Angola, bringing in $4.4 million atan average price of $1,234 per carat, it reported Thursday. The company also sold 4,376 carats fromthe Mothae mine in Lesotho for a total...Read More
RAPAPORT... Pandora has named two-time Emmy-nominated actress MillieBobby Brown as the face of a global campaign for its new jewelry collection, inan effort to reinvigorate interest in its brand and appeal to a youngeraudience. Brown is best known for the Netflix series Stranger Things, the 2019film Godzilla: King of Monsters, and her appointment as theyoungest-ever Goodwill Ambassador for th...Read More
RAPAPORT... The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) has revealed thewinners of its 2019 Spectrum Awards, covering 14 categories from bridal to men's jewelry."When we see the entries coming into our office and those submitted during our New York City drop-off program, there's always a lot of speculation about how the judges will respond to each piece," said AGTA CEO Douglas Hucker. "After al...Read More
Junior diamond miner Lucapa reported that its latest sales of diamonds from the Lulo alluvial mine in Angola and the Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho has taken total sales from both mines to US$35.5 million for the year to date. In its latest sale, Lucapa had sold a run of mine parcel of 3,558 carats of Lulo diamonds for S$4.4 million, at $1,234/ct. This took total sales of Lulo diamonds to date...Read More
Pandora's first global advertising campaign for its new jewelry collection will be faced by Millie Bobby Brown, an actor and activist committed to effecting positive change among her generation. The two-time Emmy nominee and UNICEF's youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador, Brown has signed a two-year contract with Pandora to promote the collection. Shot by fashion photographer Cass Bird, Pand...Read More
The second annual Jewelers for Children (JFC) Day will be held on Saturday September 28, 2019. JFC Day is a day for all supporters of JFC and for potential new ones to celebrate the success of the industry's support for children in need and raise visibility and funds for the charity. JFC Day is the brainchild of Steven Vardi, a JFC board member who helped develop the concept along with...Read More
RAPAPORT... Stuller has promoted Alix Gonsoulin to vice president of itsbridal, fine-jewelry and findings division, it said Tuesday. Gonsoulin started as director of diamond-and-gemstonefashion with the US-based jewelry manufacturer in 2012, and was most recently it executive director of product development. "Alix has shown an exceptional ability to workcross-functionally throughout the organ...Read More
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has reported revenue of A$8.8-million from the latest sale of diamonds from its Lulo and Mothae mines, in Angola and Lesotho respectively.The ASX-listed company on Thursday reported that a parcel of 3 558 ct of Lulo diamonds was sold for gross proceeds of A$6.3-million, representing an average price of A$1 768/ct, while a furthe...Read More
"Transparency and good governance must continue to be a guiding value of corporate behaviour in order to earn the trust and respect of our current and future consumers," Marcus ter Haar, Managing Director of Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), said in his address to the Plenary Meeting of the Policy Dialogue on Natural Resource-based Development earlier this summer in Paris. The meeting was hosted by...Read More
RAPAPORT... AGD Diamonds has unearthed three rough stones over 100 carats from its Grib mine in Russia, including one it claims is Europe's largest.The company found the 222.09-carat stone on May 4, and named it Vladimir Grib in honor of AGD's formerchief geologist. The second stone, found on May 3, weighs 127.34 carats. Theminer has called it Elisey Verichev, paying tribute to the AGD veter...Read More
RAPAPORT... Prices of pink fancy-color diamonds outperformed other majorcolor categories during the second quarter, the Fancy Color Research Foundation(FCRF) said. Prices of pinks rose 0.4% quarter on quarter for the threemonths ending June 30, according to the FCRF, which released its quarterlyFancy Color Diamond Index (FCDI) last week. By contrast, prices of blue fancy-color diamonds decli...Read More