An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More

Steel scrap prices in the principal trading regions have fallen sharply, as was expected by the majority of market participants, during the working week from Monday February 18 to Friday February 22.The price falls followed the decrease in Turkish scrap import prices this week, which was itself the result of limited demand for rebar and billet in the country's domestic market.Prices in Taiwan mana...Read More

The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India fell this week, confirming the correction that market participants had been expecting, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday February 22.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $339.44 per tonne cfr on February 22, a fall of $6.06 per tonne from $345.50 per tonne cfr on Februa...Read More

Light iron steel scrap prices in the United Kingdom have increased for a fifth consecutive week, because of higher export prices in key markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 22,.But a correction could be coming, they added, with global markets beginning to struggle.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for UK grade-5C ferrous scrap on an inter-merchant basis was ?95-120 ($124-157...Read More

The US copper market saw heavy buying Friday morning amid mounting optimism that the trade dispute between the United States and China will be resolved in the coming months.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange jumped 4.20 cents to $2.9390 per lb.Progress in US-China trade talks continued to prompt positive market sentiment over the week, w...Read More

The Friday Market Minute Global stocks gain amid steady progress in U.S.-China trade talks paired with weakening data in key G10 economies.China's Shanghai Composite has best week in nearly three years amid trade optimism and bets on further stimulus in the world's second largest economy.Germany narrowly avoids recession with flat Q4 growth, but trade and Brexit uncertainty keep European ma...Read More

An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More

The domestic Chinese battery-grade lithium hydroxide spot price fell by more than 3% in the week to Thursday February 21 although the carbonate assessment held firm - a pattern that was reversed in the seaborne market, where the carbonate price dropped week on week and the hydroxide price was steady. Offers for battery-grade lithium hydroxide in China were lower week on week, bringing the Fastmark...Read More

Prices for imported flat steel products in South America continued to rise over the past week with Chinese mills not backing down from more expensive offers made after the Lunar New Year celebrations, despite faltering demand in the region, Fastmarkets heard on Friday February 22.Fastmarkets assessed the import price for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in South America at $560-570 per tonne cfr on February...Read More

Indian flat steel producers increased domestic hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices by 1,000 rupees ($14) per tonne at the start of this week to factor in the higher prices of the commodity in the international market and rising raw materials costs.The price increase of 1,000 rupees per tonne for sales in the second half of February takes Fastmarkets' domestic HRC price to 40,500-41,000 rupees per to...Read More

Steel coil prices in Turkey have mostly been stable in the week ended Friday February 22, with buying activity remaining weak.Prices are likely to fall soon if demand does not improve, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers placed orders early in February because they had low stock levels, but end-user demand in the country was not strong, so at the moment buyers prefer to wait and see whether prices wil...Read More

Brazil's apparent consumption of steel totaled 1.54 million tonnes in January, down 5.6% from 1.63 million tonnes during the same month in 2018, national steel association Instituto A??o Brasil said on Friday February 22.Performance lagged most in the flat steel market. Flat steel usage reached 905,000 tonnes in the month, as it fell by 8.2% from 986,000 tonnes in January 2018. Long steel consumpt...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices maintained their upward trend on Friday February 22 with stockists looking to replenish their inventories. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,720-3,760 yuan ($554-560) per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,730-3,750 yuan per tonne, up 30 yuan per tonneSome stockists were actively buying rebar to replenish inventories, wh...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for rebar, wire rod, steel beams and other long steel products. Latest transaction: rebarRebar East China, domestic, grade...Read More

The import pig iron market in the United States calmed down during the week ended Friday February 22, after several bookings were completed, sources told Fastmarkets on the day.Fastmarkets' import price assessment for pig iron in the US was $355-360 per tonne cfr on February 22, stable week on week."The workable price for buyers is still below the target price for suppliers, but everything will de...Read More

Steel scrap prices in the principal trading regions have fallen sharply, as was expected by the majority of market participants, during the working week from Monday February 18 to Friday February 22.The price falls followed the decrease in Turkish scrap import prices this week, which was itself the result of limited demand for rebar and billet in the country's domestic market.Prices in Taiwan mana...Read More

The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India fell this week, confirming the correction that market participants had been expecting, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday February 22.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $339.44 per tonne cfr on February 22, a fall of $6.06 per tonne from $345.50 per tonne cfr on Februa...Read More

Brazilian slab export prices have jumped for a third consecutive week following the positive trend in steel prices and the costs of raw materials.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of Brazilian slab export prices was $490-530 per tonne fob on Friday February 22, compared with $460-510 per tonne fob a week earlier.Some volumes were still available for April shipment, and sellers were waiting to place o...Read More

CIS steel billet producers reduced offers of April-rolling billet in the week ended Friday February 22 in an attempt to attract customers, following the decline in global scrap prices, particularly in Turkey.Fastmarkets daily index for Northern Europe-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) was calculated at $304.96 per tonne cfr Turkey on Friday February 22, down from $324.29 on the same day last week.The daily i...Read More

Weak demand and excess supply have driven Indian domestic secondary billet prices down by at least 1,300 rupees ($18) per tonne over the week ending Friday February 22, Fastmarkets has learnt.Indian domestic secondary billet prices ended the week at 33,000-33,200 rupees ($464-467) per tonne ex-mill. This was down from 34,300-34,500 rupees per tonne ex-mill, assessed by Fastmarkets last week.An off...Read More