Adam HamiltonArchivesMar 01, 2019 The gold miners' stocks have been climbing higher on balance, enjoying a solid upleg that is gathering steam. That's fueling improving sentiment, driving more interest in this small contrarian sector. This gold-stock upleg is likely to grow in coming months, partially because of very-favorable spring seasonals. The gold stocks' second-strongest seasonal rally of t...Read More
Spot copper concentrates treatment and refining charges (TCs/RCs) firmed in the latter half of February after Chinese smelters returned to the market for March and April cargoes. Fastmarkets calculated the copper concentrates TC/RC index at $74.3 per tonne/ 7.43 cents per lb as of February 28, up marginally from $74.20 per tonne/ 7.42 cents per lb for the first two weeks of February. TCs...Read More
Mining operations at Rusal's 2.3 million-tonne-per-year Bauxite Co of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) have been suspended for 14 days due to strike action, with no timeline for the return of workers. "Operations of the BCGI have been suspended since February 15, 2019, due to an unannounced protest of workers demanding a salary increase," a Rusal spokesperson told Fastmarkets on Friday March 1. "As of t...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week. Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Global steel scrap prices began to edge up in Turkey this week while other key markets continued to lose ground, Fastmarkets heard during the week ended Friday March 1.Turkey succeeded in recovering some of its recent losses in new bookings, but these remained sparse and mills were still reluctant to enter the market. The US market continued to stagnate while prices in Asia edged down further due...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India fell by $11 per tonne this week following deals done at lower prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 1.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $328.33 per tonne cfr on March 1, down $11.11 per tonne from $339.44 per tonne cfr on February 22.Deals were heard for shredded material into...Read More
Turkish scrap import prices recovered at the end of the week on Friday March 1 with news of a fresh deep-sea cargo, sources told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $310.50 per tonne and 5,000 tonnes of bonus at $320.50...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week. Read More
Ahead of Fastmarkets' Battery Materials 2019 conference in Shanghai, Fastmarkets looks at use of lithium in next-generation vehicles and other battery uses, as well as soaring prices, which have spurred interest in lithium and boosted its importance in recent years as a battery material. In June 2016, the spot price in China peaked at $27 per kg, more than three times the global contract price, ac...Read More
The Chinese domestic lithium hydroxide price fell by 1.5% on Thursday February 28 due to unimproved downstream demand while the lithium carbonate market was steady week on week after most producers stood firm on offer prices. The Chinese battery-grade lithium carbonate price was unchanged on steady producer offers. Lithium hydroxide prices drifted lower in China on thin buying activities.&nbs...Read More
Indian flat steel producers were likely to increase their prices for March sales of hot-rolled coil (HRC) in line with rising international prices for the commodity, Fastmarkets heard on Friday March 1.Officials from at least two Indian mills confirmed that domestic HRC prices will be raised for March sales, estimating the increase to be in the range of 1,000-1,500 rupees ($14-21) per tonne."We wi...Read More
Some steel coil prices in Turkey decreased in the week ended Friday March 1, with buying activity remaining subdued.The market was unlikely to improve in March because of the uncertainty before mayoral elections to be held in the country on the last day of the month, sources told Fastmarkets. Market participants wanted to see if end-user demand would improve after the elections were complete.Buyer...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil exporters continued to aim for higher prices on Friday March 1 following futures-led gains in the domestic market.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,840-3,860 yuan ($574-577) per tonne, up 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,760-3,820 yuan per tonne, up 20-60 yuan per tonneFurther gains in the future market gave spot prices more upward momentum during the day.T...Read More
Brazilian domestic flat-rolled steel and reinforcing bar prices fell during the week ended Friday March 1, with discounts from past months consolidating in the market due to low demand.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for Brazilian domestic hot-rolled coil was 2,425-2,470 Reais ($649-661) per tonne ex-works on March 1, down from 2,470-2,650 Reais per tonne ex-works a month earlier.The as...Read More
Prices for domestic beams in the United States have risen after recent mill hikes were passed through to the marketplace, while import beam prices dipped on confirmed lower-priced purchases from Luxembourg, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.Fastmarkets AMM assessed the price for domestic W8x8-in beams at $43.25 per hundredweight ($865 per short ton) fob mill on Thursday February 28, up 3.6%...Read More
Domestic prices for rebar in Poland have been supported by strong demand this week, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 1.Fastmarkets' price assessment for domestic 12mm B500B-grade rebar in Poland was 2,200-2,320 zloty ($581-613) per tonne ex-works on March 1, compared with 2,220-2,320 zloty per tonne ex-works a week earlier.The assessment reflected deals and offers heard in the market. Alth...Read More
Global steel scrap prices began to edge up in Turkey this week while other key markets continued to lose ground, Fastmarkets heard during the week ended Friday March 1.Turkey succeeded in recovering some of its recent losses in new bookings, but these remained sparse and mills were still reluctant to enter the market. The US market continued to stagnate while prices in Asia edged down further due...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India fell by $11 per tonne this week following deals done at lower prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 1.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $328.33 per tonne cfr on March 1, down $11.11 per tonne from $339.44 per tonne cfr on February 22.Deals were heard for shredded material into...Read More
Turkish scrap import prices recovered at the end of the week on Friday March 1 with news of a fresh deep-sea cargo, sources told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $310.50 per tonne and 5,000 tonnes of bonus at $320.50...Read More