Alloy steel scrap prices in Europe and the UK have been assessed as either stable or moving downward amid continued weak demand from mills, and market participants have little hope of any improvement in the near future.In the UK market, domestic prices for 18/8 alloy steel scrap solids were assessed on Friday January 4 at ?770-800 ($969-1,007) per tonne...Read More

Export prices for Brazilian steel slab remained unchanged on Friday January 4, with most companies still preparing to launch offers for March shipments in the next few days.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of Brazilian slab export prices was stable at $430-475 per tonne fob on Friday.But the market was not yet back to work at full speed in the first days of the week, with many...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices remained unchanged on Friday January 4, but export prices dropped further due to softening demand. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,700-3,750 yuan ($538-545) per tonne, unchanged Northern China (Beijing): 3,600-3,650 yuan per tonne, unchangedTraders in the spot market kept their prices flat, although futures and billet prices both increased because deman...Read More

Transaction prices in Europe for grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) sheets decreased this week on the back of sharp reductions to the January alloy surcharges.The January alloy surcharge for 2mm grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) stainless steel sheets - based on data published by producers Outokumpu, Aperam and Acerinox - is at ?,?1,242-1,294 ($1,413-1,472) per tonne, down by ?,?58-91 per tonne from the December...Read More

Due to a reporter error, the following fortnightly prices were inadvertently published by Fastmarkets on Friday January 4 and therefore should be ignored. Ferro-chrome 0.10% C average 65-70% Cr major European destinations $ per lb Cr  Ferro-chrome 0.06% C max - 65% Cr European low carbon in warehouse $ per lb Cr Ferro-chrome Low phosphorous Cr min 65%, C max 7%, Si max 1%, P max 0.015%,...Read More

European alloy surcharges for stainless steel products have fallen for the sixth consecutive month in January because of weak market fundamentals resulting from high volumes of imports.The January alloy surcharge for 2mm grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) stainless steel sheets - based on data published by producers Outokumpu, Aperam and Acerinox - is ?,?1,242-1,294 ($1,413-1,472) per tonne, accordin...Read More

A proposed definitive decision in the European safeguard case against certain steel product imports "does not take into account the needs of the automotive sector and will affect the competitiveness of EU automobile manufacturers," the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Friday January 4.The European Commission (EC) notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on January 4...Read More

Demand for flat steel in Turkey is expected to remain slow throughout January, and prices are not expected to increase because global flat steel prices are falling, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday January 3.Local producers have filled their order books until late February, they added.The price falls in December resulted in part from weak demand in the local market as well as the h...Read More

Turkey's flat steel export volumes rose by 139.17% year on year in November, according to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK).The reason for the increase in export volumes was strong overseas demand, especially in Europe, as well as weak domestic demand in Turkey, market participants told Fastmarkets.Additionally, export prices for Turkish flat steel products were highly...Read More

The Section 232 tariffs implemented in the United States in 2018 led to a sharp increase in domestic steel prices, driving the hot-rolled coil index to a nearly 10-year peak in July. But how did the tariffs impact the rest of the global supply chain? Fastmarkets' regional experts gave us answers.ChinaChina has exported less hot-rolled coil since the Section 232 tariffs took effect, but soft domest...Read More

Global cobalt prices came under mounting pressure in December, with the bearish outlook for 2019 and forecast oversupply showing no signs of relenting and sellers rushing to get stocks off their books ahead of the year-end. Price moves Benchmark cobalt prices slumped in December following relative stability in October and November as year-end book-squaring created even greater competition for scan...Read More

Global spot prices were on a downtrend over the week ended Friday January 4 because of weak demand in many scrap importing markets.There was limited liquidity in the key markets of Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam because some market participants had not returned from new year holidays.Market participants expected prices to continue on the downtrend in the coming weeks, in the face of subdued downstream...Read More

Export prices for Brazilian steel slab remained unchanged on Friday January 4, with most companies still preparing to launch offers for March shipments in the next few days.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of Brazilian slab export prices was stable at $430-475 per tonne fob on Friday.But the market was not yet back to work at full speed in the first days of the week, with many...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange continued their uptrend at the close of trading on Friday January 4, buoyed by strong gains in the US stock indices while depleting LME stocks keep prices elevated. Copper's three-month price was the best performer over the afternoon, gaining more than 3% and reaching an intraday high of $5,933 per tonne. The metal's three-month price has been t...Read More

Nexans' Marie Francoise Levelt retired from her position as director of metal trading at the end of December 2018, Fastmarkets has learned.Levelt joined the Paris-based cable maker in 1981 with a major...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange continued their uptrend at the close of trading on Friday January 4, buoyed by strong gains in the US stock indices while depleting LME stocks keep prices elevated. Copper's three-month price was the best performer over the afternoon, gaining more than 3% and reaching an intraday high of $5,933 per tonne. The metal's three-month price has been t...Read More

Comex copper prices staged a major recovery in the final morning trading session in the United States, amid a strong December jobs report.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange recovered 3.90 cents to $2.6070 per lb.Earlier this morning, the latest jobs report showed 312,000 Americans joined the labor market, shattering expectations of 179,0...Read More

Physical iron ore prices continued to strengthen on Friday January 4, but buyers remained hesitant, especially around seaborne cargoes.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $73.10 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.48 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.93 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.48 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $74.90 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.78 per tonne. MB 58% Fe Prem...Read More

Transaction prices in Europe for grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) sheets decreased this week on the back of sharp reductions to the January alloy surcharges.The January alloy surcharge for 2mm grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) stainless steel sheets - based on data published by producers Outokumpu, Aperam and Acerinox - is at ?,?1,242-1,294 ($1,413-1,472) per tonne, down by ?,?58-91 per tonne from the December...Read More

Due to a reporter error, the following fortnightly prices were inadvertently published by Fastmarkets on Friday January 4 and therefore should be ignored. Ferro-chrome 0.10% C average 65-70% Cr major European destinations $ per lb Cr  Ferro-chrome 0.06% C max - 65% Cr European low carbon in warehouse $ per lb Cr Ferro-chrome Low phosphorous Cr min 65%, C max 7%, Si max 1%, P max 0.015%,...Read More