Southern Copper Corporation (SCC) expects to increase its output of copper, zinc and molybdenum in 2019 via bringing new operations to full capacity, chief financial officer Ra??l Jacob said.The company forecasts mined copper output of 986,700 tonnes in 2019 following the start of operations at a new concentrator at its Toquepala mine, which should reach full production of 100,000 tonnes per year...Read More

The briquette premium in the United States narrowed upward in the week ended Tuesday February 12 while the cut cathode equivalent was stable due to steady demand from the steel sector.Elsewhere, a lack of demand in a static European nickel market was putting downward pressure on the uncut cathode premium in the region while the nickel full-plate premium in China was unchanged in low-liquidity trad...Read More

The price for rebar produced and delivered in Southern Europe remained flat on Wednesday February 13, with producers facing higher raw materials costs and unable to pass on the increases to disinterested customers.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Southern Europe stayed at ?,?510-520 ($578-589) per tonne delivered on Wednesday.The rebar price has remained at that...Read More

Domestic prices for steel beams in Europe went down on Wednesday February 6 on lower offer prices, market sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic S235-grade, 200x200mm, category-2 H-beam in Northern Europe was ?,?610-630 ($689-712) per tonne delivered on February 13. This was down from ?,?620-640 per tonne delivered on February 6.Producers were reported to have a...Read More

The price for rebar produced and delivered in Northern Europe rose slightly on Wednesday February 13 although producers struggled to find acceptance for this in the face of disappointing end-user demand.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Northern Europe narrowed upward to ?,?535-550 ($604-621) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, from ?,?530-550 per tonne previously.Producers...Read More

Flat steel import prices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were stable over the past week as market participants waited for Chinese mills to put in new offer prices following the Lunar New Year holiday, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday February 12.Demand was still weak because stock levels in the UAE were already high and buyers wanted to see which direction prices would move after t...Read More

China's hot-rolled coil exporters left their offer prices unchanged on Wednesday February 13, although the domestic market continued to drop on low demand.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,790-3,800 yuan ($559-560) per tonne, down 50 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,760-3,770 yuan per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonnePrices have returned to their pre-Chinese Lunar New Year holiday l...Read More

Alderan unlocking Frisco potentialSPONSOREDalderan resourcesThe Vancouver-based company reported an adjusted December quarter loss of C$8.5 million or 4c, which came in short of analyst forecasts calling for earnings of 1c on revenues of $112.35 million.Read More

The Turkish steel producers have continued to hold back from the deep-sea scrap markets, after booking enough material for stocks, and have started to watch the finished steel markets, sources said on Wednesday February 13.The mills in the country have booked around 2.5 million tonnes of scrap since the beginning of the year to replenish earlier low stock levels, and were now focusing on finished...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreVale, Beijing Iron Ore Trading Center (Corex), 170,000 tonnes of 62% Fe Brazilian Blend fines, sold at $89.60 per tonne cfr China,...Read More

Iron ore prices largely continued to soften on Wednesday February 13 with no further supply disruptions from Brazil confirmed, but two cargoes of Brazilian Blend fines (BRBF) traded at stronger levels.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $87.22 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.43 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $88.06 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.43 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alu...Read More

Stronger demand from Asian steel mills is pushing bulk ferrous scrap prices higher. Prices were also supported by higher bids seen at February's Kanto Tetsugen export tender in Japan.There was a deal done at $330 per tonne cfr Vietnam on Monday February 11 for an 18,000-tonne cargo of Japanese H2 scrap."Market negotiation levels were at $327-330 per tonne cfr Vietnam for Japanese H2 scrap as of Tu...Read More

China's steel futures fell during morning trading on Wednesday February 13, while those of steelmaking raw materials moved sideways.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,731 yuan ($550.30) per tonne, down 18 yuan per tonneMay hot-rolled coil: 3,636 yuan per tonne, down 11 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 623 yuan per ton...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday February 12 that are worth another look.Heavy highland rains in South America's Andean region prompted mining companies to temporarily halt some copper operations in northern Chile and southern Peru from Friday February 8, before resuming full capacity by February 12. Turkish miner Eti Elektrometalurji has moved into t...Read More

A lack of fresh drivers kept US copper futures steady in Wednesday morning trading. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange was flat at $2.7720 per lb.The focus of market participants - and the main driver of direction - remains the US-Chinese trade talks."We expect further upside in copper prices over the next month due to a stronger macro s...Read More

Primary aluminium stocks at the three main Japanese ports (MJP) fell 0.73% (by 2,300 tonnes) month on month in January 2019, but increased by 13.50% compared with January 2018, according to data from major Japanese trading house Marubeni on Wednesday February 13. Total MJP aluminium stocks amounted to 314,500 tonnes at the end of January, down from 316,800 tonnes in December. Nagoya regi...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower during morning trading on Wednesday February 13, with broad strength in the dollar index capping gains, while developments in the US-China trade rift are doing little to lift prices. Three-month aluminium, nickel, zinc and lead prices consolidated lower after a poor performance at Tuesday's close. A downtrend in LME stocks re...Read More

Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Wednesday February 13* Copper -$164.52 (-1,113.67 yuan) Aluminium -$348.25 (-2,357.34 yuan) Zinc -$99.29 (-672.12 yuan) Nickel -$244.65 (-1.656.05 yuan) *Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month...Read More

China's rebar prices dropped on Wednesday February 13 in both the domestic and export markets on pessimistic sentiment amid futures and billet losses. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,800-3,840 yuan ($560-566) per tonne, down 30-40 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,800-3,840 yuan per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneTangshan billet prices decreased due to weakening demand and lower&nb...Read More

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