Trade log for nickel sulfate in China including transactions, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets MB. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are yuan per tonne on an ex-works basis.Fastmarkets MB pricesClick here for Fastmarkets MB's price assessment for...Read More

Prices for imported flat-rolled steel into the United States are falling amid questions about whether the market has bottomed or might see further declines.Hot-rolledFastmarkets AMM's price assessment for imported hot-rolled coil slipped to $650-700 per short ton ($32.50-35 per hundredweight) on Wednesday January 9 from $660-720 per ton previously.That range represents offers for material fro...Read More

Turkish billet prices in the domestic and import markets have gone down over the past week due to limited demand and weakening finished-steel values in the country's export market, sources said on Thursday January 10.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for billet imported into Turkey was $400-413 per tonne cfr on January 10, down from $405-425 per tonne last week.There was...Read More

Steel billet import prices into Egypt fell this week with lower offers, while local rebar prices remained unchanged, sources said on Thursday January 10.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet imported into Egypt was $425-430 per tonne cfr on Thursday, falling from $435-440 per tonne cfr.Billet producers from the Commonwealth of Independent...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for steel billet, slab and bloom. Latest transaction: billetBilletCIS, export, billet, offered...Read More

Argentinian carmakers produced 20,475 vehicles in December, according to figures recently published by local manufacturers' association Adefa. Output was down by 38.50% from 33,280 units in the corresponding month of 2017.The output numbers in the Southern Hemisphere country decreased "as a result of the anticipation of summer holidays and the conditioning of plants for the execution of new invest...Read More

Some of China's domestic hot-rolled coil exporters have started to lower their offers unofficially after days of sparse trading with the aim of stimulating sales.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,640-3,650 yuan ($533-534) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,620-3,630 yuan per tonne, unchangedPrices in Shanghai dipped on Thursday January 10, with a source there telling Fa...Read More

Ferrous scrap sellers in the United States who were hoping for the traditional New Year price increase instead got a rude awakening, with the market suffering a major correction for the first time in January since 2006.After the market settled, shredded scrap, No1 busheling and cut grades fell by $30 per gross ton throughout the Midwest. With so much scrap unplaced and expectations by so...Read More

Consumer stainless scrap buying prices in the United States tumbled further this month, reflecting a depressed market with mills increasing discounts on nickel in the face of high inventories and softening demand."Nickel discounts are worsening every month," one major domestic processor said, referring to the nickel discounts established by mills in their monthly scrap purchases. Th...Read More

Iron ore prices were mixed on Thursday January 10 following news of the Chinese yuan's appreciation against the US dollar and reports of a port fire in Australia.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $73.36 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.54 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $73.50 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.54 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $75.17 per tonne cfr Qingdao, dow...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, traded at the February...Read More

The downward momentum in the seaborne coking coal market weakened on Thursday January 10, with sellers standing firm by their offers.Cargoes of premium hard coking coal were heard offered at around $200-202 per tonne cfr China during the day, unchanged from those at the beginning of this week, according to various market sources.Various buyers in China have also submitted bids for premium mid-vol...Read More

China's coking coal and coke futures fell during morning trading on Thursday January 10, while other ferrous contracts were little changed.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,528 yuan ($516.50) per tonne, down 3 yuan per tonneMay hot-rolled coil: 3,433 yuan per tonne, up 1 yuan per tonneDalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 508 yuan per tonne, down 1 y...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday January 10 that are worth another look.Chinese central government regulators will begin a new round of environmental protection inspections in the country's metals and mining industry this year, which will take about four years to complete. The volatility in manganese ore prices should rise in 2019 while increases in...Read More

The US copper price slipped into negative territory on Thursday morning amid a rebounding dollar and few details about the China-United States trade talks. The United States copper price slipped into negative territory on Thursday morning amid a rebounding dollar and few details about the US-China trade talks. The copper price for the March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mer...Read More

Market participants have largely played down the impact of the suspension of gallium production at Zunyi Alumina Ltd Co in southwestern China's Guizhou province as of January 4.A spokesperson at Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco), China's largest gallium metal supplier and the largest shareholder in Zunyi, confirmed on Thursday January 10 that the suspension of loss-making operations is likely...Read More

The Chinese domestic cobalt sulfate price has moved up due to tightened supply amid active restocking activities ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday from February 4-10.Fastmarkets MB's China cobalt sulfate, basis 20.5% Co, ex-works price rose to 66,000-68,000 yuan ($9,669-9,962) per tonne on Wednesday January 9, from 65,000-68,000 yuan per tonne previously. Meanwhile, the accelerated downtrend in...Read More

Trading activity in the East Asian stainless steel import market has started to regain momentum, although price movements were mixed over the past week and some participants remained pessimistic.Fastmarkets MB's import price assessment for 304 stainless 2mm trimmed cold-rolled coil in East Asia was $1,880-1,960 per tonne cif for the week ended Wednesday January 9, widening from $1,890-1,950 per to...Read More

China's domestic stainless steel prices held steady for a second week amid low inventory levels and soft demand ahead of the Chinese New Year. Fastmarkets MB's price assessment for benchmark 304 stainless cold-rolled coil in the major market of Wuxi was 14,200-14,800 yuan ($2,079-2,167) per tonne including value-added tax for the week ended Wednesday January 9, unchanged from a week earlier.There...Read More

Fastmarkets looks at five key things to watch out for in China's nickel and stainless steel markets this year against a backdrop of nickel pig iron (NPI) project ramp-ups and a country-wide clampdown on new crude stainless steel capacity.NPI deficit to persist despite project ramp-upsWhile the ramp-ups of a number of NPI projects were announced in 2018 and this is expected to narrow the deficit of...Read More