Stagnant spot activity continued to weigh on the cobalt sulfate price in China, with spot offer prices marching lower in the mid-week assessment on Wednesday March 6 amid persistent selling pressure. Fastmarkets assessed the Chinese cobalt sulfate, basis 20.5% Co market price at 57,000-60,000 yuan ($8,491-8,938) per tonne on March 6, down by 3,000-4,000 yuan per tonne or 5.6% from 60,000-64,000 yu...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in Europe have been largely stable over the past week, although steelmakers were targeting increases, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday March 7.Prices in the domestic market have been stable due to largely unchanged import offers and resistance among end-users to a price rise, according to market sources.Northern EuropeThe outlook on further price chang...Read More

China's hot-rolled coil exporters were insisting on higher offer prices on Thursday March 7 despite the slight drop in the domestic spot market, with most sellers feeling little need to export.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,820-3,840 yuan ($569-572) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,750-3,770 yuan per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneShanghai sellers began the...Read More

China's major mills continued to raise their daily output rates for crude steel in mid-February, while their finished steel inventories also rose.Members of the China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) produced crude steel at an average rate of 1.95 million tonnes per day during the second 10 days of February, up 1.6% from 1.92 million tpd in early February, according to data released by the industry...Read More

Reinforcing bar (rebar) steel prices have risen in the United States following late-February's mill hikes, while import prices have fallen following confirmed offers for Italian material. Fastmarkets' assessment for domestic rebar increased to $35.25-36.50 per hundredweight ($705-730 per short ton) fob mill on Wednesday March 6, up by 2.6% from $34.25-35.75 per cwt previously. At the same time, th...Read More

Domestic Turkish rebar and wire rod prices increased over the past week, mainly in as a result of the Turkish lira losing value against the US dollar, sources said on Thursday March 7.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Turkey was TRY3,100-3,150 ($573-583) per tonne ex-works on Thursday, up from the TRY2,950-3,050 per tonne of last week, including 18% VAT.The local rebar pri...Read More

The Turkish long steel export market remained weak over the past seven days on sluggish demand, while increasing raw materials costs continued to squeeze mill margins, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday March 7.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for rebar exports out of Turkey remained unchanged at $470-480 per tonne fob on an actual weight basis.Steel producers in Turkey continued to offer re...Read More

Sentiment in the market for pig iron exports from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has improved because of higher scrap prices in the United States, which is the key outlet, and lower material availability, Fastmarkets learned during the week ended Thursday March 7.Fastmarkets' price assessment for CIS exports of high-manganese pig iron was $340-345 per tonne fob Black Sea on March 7,...Read More

Turkish steel producers continued to replenish low stock levels by booking more deep-sea scrap at firm prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday March 7.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo comprising 32,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $322 per tonne, 5,000 tonnes of shredded at $327 per tonne and 3,000 tonnes of bonus at $332 per tonne cfr.This was...Read More

Iron ore prices rose on Thursday March 7 in line with futures market gains following data releases showing a decline in steel inventories in the market. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $87.61 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.56 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $87.01 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.56 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $90.01 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.93 per ton...Read More

Turkish billet prices have remained firm over the past week with moderate demand in the export markets. But the domestic and import markets were comparatively weaker, sources said on Thursday March 7.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for billet exports was unchanged week on week at $450-460 per tonne fob on Thursday.The Turkish mills were heard to sell a number of billet cargoes for export this...Read More

Steel billet import prices in Egypt have increased over the past seven days with higher offers and deal prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday March 7.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $470-475 per tonne cfr on Thursday, rising from $465-470 per tonne cfr last week.The rise can be attributed partly to a decree issued by Egypt's ministry of trade an...Read More

Lower domestic spot inventories and positive sentiment led to a surge in China's rebar futures market on Thursday March 7, although spot prices dropped slightly in some cities. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,780-3,810 yuan ($563-568) per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,750-3,800 yuan per tonne, unchangedSellers in Shanghai cut prices under the pressure o...Read More

Domestic stainless steel prices in China maintained their upward trend over the past week on higher nickel prices and strengthening demand.Fastmarkets MB's domestic price assessment for benchmark 304 stainless cold-rolled coil in the major market of Wuxi was 15,100-15,500 yuan ($2,249-2,309) per tonne including value-added tax for the week ended Wednesday February March 6, up 400 yuan per tonne fr...Read More

China's major mills continued to raise their daily output rates for crude steel in mid-February, while their finished steel inventories also rose.Members of the China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) produced crude steel at an average rate of 1.95 million tonnes per day during the second 10 days of February, up 1.6% from 1.92 million tpd in early February, according to data released by the industry...Read More

Demand for flat steel in Turkey failed to improve in February although prices increased, but no further price rises were expected, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 6.Local producers have filled their order books until May, they added.The price rises in February resulted from increasing prices for raw materials after the rupture of a tailings dam at Vale's Feij??o iron ore mi...Read More

Turkey's flat steel export volumes rose by 55.37% year-on-year in January, according to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). The main reason for the increase was that the local demand was weak in the country in the last quarter of 2018, when orders to be...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in Europe have been largely stable over the past week, although steelmakers were targeting increases, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday March 7.Prices in the domestic market have been stable due to largely unchanged import offers and resistance among end-users to a price rise, according to market sources.Northern EuropeThe outlook on further price chang...Read More

Sentiment in the market for pig iron exports from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has improved because of higher scrap prices in the United States, which is the key outlet, and lower material availability, Fastmarkets learned during the week ended Thursday March 7.Fastmarkets' price assessment for CIS exports of high-manganese pig iron was $340-345 per tonne fob Black Sea on March 7,...Read More

Base metals price on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Thursday March 7, with price movements limited by a surge in the US dollar index above the psychologically significant level of 97, while both lead and tin futures retained support.The three-month lead price closed once more above its nearby resistance level of $2,100 per tonne, and continued to exhibit an...Read More