After a period of correction that lasted for about three weeks, the price for Chinese cobalt metal has been given fresh strength by rising raw materials costs and tightened spot supply.Fastmarkets' price assessment for cobalt, 99.8% Co min, ex-works China, was 265,000-285,000 yuan per tonne (equivalent to $14.83-15.95 per lb, minus China VAT) on Wednesday September 4. This was up by 2.2% from 258,...Read More

FORT FRANCES - Ontario's government is investing more than $244,000 in three local businesses in the Fort Frances-Rainy River region."Through our investments we are sending a message to job creators that the Fort Frances-Rainy River region and all of Northern Ontario is open for business and open for jobs," said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. "We are building a...Read More

CHATHAM-KENT - Ontario's Government is working for the people to lower heating costs, create jobs and make businesses more competitive by expanding access to natural gas in Chatham-Kent and surrounding areas.Bill Walker, Associate Minister of Energy, announced today that construction work has officially begun on two new natural gas transmission pipelines in Chatham-Kent after they were granted app...Read More

Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb on an in-warehouse (in-whs) basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets' price assessment for standard-grade cobalt, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbClick here...Read More

European market participants now question whether an expected domestic price rise for hot-rolled coil (HRC) will be seen, due to the emergence of competitive offers from India, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday September 4.Buyers had expected that transaction prices would move up in the first half of September, supported by a seasonal recovery in trading activity.But this expectation has faded...Read More

When it comes to volatility, perhaps no sector has suffered so much as natural gas.Let's face it, folks: Natural gas prices have been abysmal.There's a very good reason why.To better understand why natural gas at the Henry Hub is trading around $2.35 per MMBtu today, you first have to understand where we were more than 10 years ago - before plays like the Marcellus Shale transformed the United Sta...Read More

Turkey exported 463,220 tonnes of flat steel products in July 2019, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), down by 21.58% year on year from 590,685 tonnes exported in July 2018.The negative sentiment in the flat steel market in Europe in May, when orders for June and July shipping were placed, contributed to the decrease in exports. The United States market, however, has been pract...Read More

TriStar Gold Inc. (TSX-V: TSG) is an exploration and development company focused on precious metals properties in the Americas that have potential to become significant producing mines. Their flagship property is Castelo de Sonhos in Par?? State, Brazil. The Company has recently completed a US $8 million finance with Royal Gold Inc. with proceeds used to advance the project to completion of a feas...Read More

Hot-rolled coil prices in eastern China gained more strength on Wednesday September 4, while those in the northern region fell amid thin trading.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,670-3,690 yuan ($511-514) per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,630-3,640 yuan per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonneIn Shanghai, spot prices rose after mills raised their offers in the morning amid gai...Read More

Dutch steel wire products supplier Van Merksteijn has put a temporary hold on the construction of a new integrated wire rod mill at Eemshaven in the northern Netherlands.The reasons for the decision were the fast-changing external circumstances in the past half-year, the current climate for investment in the Netherlands, and the significant economic insecurities that lie ahead, the company said on...Read More

The price of mesh-quality steel wire rod in the Northern European domestic market decreased this week because of poor demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday September 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?470-500 ($515-548) per tonne on Wednesday, down by ?,?10-15 per tonne.Underlying consumption of wire...Read More

The price range for steel rebar in the domestic market in Southern Europe widened downward this week with decreasing ferrous scrap prices and falling demand for exports from customers in Northern Europe, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday September 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Southern Europe, was ?,?460-485 ($504-531) per tonne,...Read More

Turkish steel producers have bought several deep sea cargoes from various locations at heavily reduced prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday September 4.There were three confirmed cargoes today - two from the United States and another from the United Kingdom.A steel mill in the Marmara region purchased a UK cargo comprising 18,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $250 per tonne cfr. This compa...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices pushed up on Wednesday September 4 after looser production restrictions were confirmed for steelmakers in Tangshan.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.32 per tonne, up $2.18 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.71 per tonne, up $2.18 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $89.10 per tonne, up $2.30 per tonne...Read More

The somber trading sentiment in Asia is turning exceedingly bearish, with ferrous scrap prices plunging to levels not seen for years, market sources told Fastmarkets."It's gloom and doom all over the place. No one has anything good to say about the ferrous scrap markets at this point in time," a trading manager in Singapore told Fastmarkets.Several of the key price points in Asia have shown sharp...Read More

Iranian producers of steel billet and slab have taken a wait-and-see position this week amid a sharp drop in prices in the global market.No fresh indications of billet offers for foreign customers were reported on Wednesday September 4."We opened a tender and will decide on a price in several days' time, but of course we are following global trends," one producing...Read More

By: Frank Holmes, US FundsThe fast food world gave us an interesting case study in supply and demand last week. By now you've no doubt heard about The Chicken Sandwich, the surprise superstar menu item from Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen that's launched 1,000 blog posts, op-eds and thought pieces. According to reports, the Cajun restaurant sold out of its entire seven-week inventory in just over two...Read More

Jordan Roy-Byrne CMT, MFTAA few weeks ago we wrote that precious metals were at risk of a correction. First, they powered higher. But last week they ran into technical resistance levels that date back well beyond only a few years. This is true for Gold, Silver as well as the miner ETFs: GDX and GDXJ.Starting with Gold, we can see that it has struggled to get through $1550/oz. That's not a surp...Read More

Clint Siegner, Money MetalsIndividual investors are nervous about the stock market and the possibility of recession.Meanwhile, institutional money from banks and hedge funds is keeping a bid under equities, pushing stock prices higher after every minor dip. Together with the "Plunge Protection Team," they are keeping the wheels from coming off the stock market cart.The question is whether that w...Read More

By: Ira EpsteinGold is just a very solid move, almost straight up since gold's low in May - gold weekly chart:Read More