Fortune Minerals (TSX: FT) (OTCQX: FTMDF), the company behind what could become Canada's first primary cobalt mine, has signed a socio-economic agreement with the government of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) in which it commits to hire and spend locally.The 48-page document sets out targets for jobs, spending, education, and training in the Territories as the NICO cobalt, bismuth, gold, and c...Read More

Fortune Minerals (TSX: FT) (OTCQX: FTMDF), the company behind what could become Canada's first primary cobalt mine, has signed a socio-economic agreement with the government of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) in which it commits to hire and spend locally.The 48-page document sets out targets for jobs, spending, education, and training in the Territories as the NICO cobalt, bismuth, gold, and c...Read More

Higher nickel prices are required to incentivise supply of nickel sulphate for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, particularly given lower cobalt prices, delegates heard today at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC) in Strasbourg, France.Read full newsRead More

Published 23 Hours AgoUpdated5 Hours AgoReuters Getty ImagesGold prices rose on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept benchmark interest rates unchanged and hinted at a slower pace of monetary policy tightening.Gold futures for February delivery traded 0.75 percent higher at 1,318.70 per ounce. Spot gold was up 0.47 percent at $1,318.01.The Fed's decision was widely expected by investors. In a...Read More

Here Are 3 Hot Things to Know About Stocks Right Now The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted modest gains Tuesday as shares of 3M Co. (MMM) moved higher while Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)   and McDonald's Corp. (MCD) weighed on the index.Pfizer Inc. (PFE)  rose 3% after reporting solid fourth-quarter earnings but issuing weaker-than-expected 2019 guidance.3M said it was cutting its...Read More

A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday January 29. Please click on the thumbnail...Read More

Nickel's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange soared more than 2% at the close of trading on Tuesday January 29, with the metal's futures price now trading firmly above $12,000 per tonne against a backdrop of dwindling LME stocks.LME nickel's price action has followed an uptrend over January, and is trading over 13% higher after hitting its lowest level since December 2017 at $10,500 per...Read More

Bob Moriarty ArchivesJan 30, 2019If investors were looking for a sure indication of when a good time would be to invest in a metal, it would be when you can’t even give the shares away. I have covered the importance of using sentiment to before. When everyone wants to invest, you should sell. When no one wants to buy, you should buy. Certainly Deer Horn Capital (DHC-C) qualifies; you can&rsq...Read More

Comex copper prices bounced back in US morning trading on Tuesday January 29 amid a softening dollar and anticipation for the start of US and Chinese trade talks. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 3.35 cents to $2.7135 per lb. "The main focus on the markets will be on the US/Chinese trade talks which get under way tomorrow,"...Read More

Higher sales prices brought slight price increases to European high-carbon ferro-chrome and imported charge chrome in China in the week ended Friday January 25 amid low activity prior to the Chinese New Year holiday. Imported charge chrome in China increases by 1.3%  Domestic spot ferro-chrome prices in China stable Imported ferro-chrome into Japan, South Korea and US steady Europea...Read More

Low-grade manganese ore prices showed signs of recovery in the week ended Friday January 25 while high-grade flattened amid increased liquidity ahead of Chinese New Year in early February. Low-grade manganese ore prices ticked up in China, high-grade holdsPhysical silico-manganese prices hold in China, India, EuropeFerro-manganese holds globallyUS silico-manganese prices edge up Low grade mangane...Read More

Fastmarkets looks at key factors that are likely to influence minor metals prices in 2019. China's slowdown dampens sentiment For minor metals production, China leads the way globally, contributing an estimated minimum of 70% of world output of indium, bismuth, gallium and germanium. Last week, the world's biggest producer and consumer of minor metals said its economic growth dropped to its slowes...Read More

The auction of some Fanya Metal Exchange indium stocks on Tuesday January 29 has failed to attract any bidders, market sources told Fastmarkets. Fanya announced earlier this month its intention to auction a total of 34.64 tonnes of indium stocks it holds in its warehouses. The opening bid was 1,200 yuan ($177) per kg, not including VAT and storage fees. But both Chinese and overseas market pa...Read More

Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices remained flat on Tuesday January 29 after a confirmed booking for material from the United States, but deals for cargoes are expected to be agreed at higher prices in the coming days, sources said.A US cargo was sold on Monday but reports of the deal came to light only after the deadline for Monday's indices.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo...Read More

Precious metals prices have the potential for a strong upside in 2019 alongside weakness in the US dollar and declining US Treasury yields, according to Georgette Boele, an analyst with Dutch bank ABN Amro.Boele told Fastmarkets that there was also casue for optimistic on platinum prices, which were "punished" in 2018 due to lower demand for jewelry in China and because diesel cars lost some marke...Read More

Comex copper prices bounced back in US morning trading on Tuesday January 29 amid a softening dollar and anticipation for the start of US and Chinese trade talks. The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 3.35 cents to $2.7135 per lb. "The main focus on the markets will be on the US/Chinese trade talks which get under way tomorrow,"...Read More

Cobalt consumers are increasing their exposure to the emerging hydroxide spot market in 2019 in response to rising supply volumes of intermediates and differing fundamentals at other points along the supply chain.Traditionally, buyers have signed annual or multi-year contracts with suppliers to secure the supply of cobalt hydroxide. In most cases, payment was negotiated and agreed by both parties...Read More

Fastmarkets proposes to launch two reference prices for the cobalt hydroxide market to capture and quantify the standalone fundamentals of the cobalt intermediates market through its emerging spot trade.Fastmarkets will launch a single-figure monthly cobalt hydroxide index, and a twice-monthly cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, both on the basis of min 30% Co, cif China.Cobalt hydroxide, typicall...Read More

The Tuesday Market Minute Global stocks mixed lower as investors worry that formal charges against Huawei CFO Weng Wanzhou could stall progress in U.S. China trade talks.U.S. companies continue to caution that slowing China growth will hit fourth quarter earnings and near-term outlooks, with focus now shifting to Apple's second quarter results after the close of trading today.European shares&nbs...Read More

Hot-rolled (HR) and cold-rolled (CR) steel sheet prices in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow may increase on talk of reduced availability, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday January 28. "Mills say they can [only offer stockists] tonnages already held in stock [by traders], citing that March-rolled flats was sold out and unavailable for the free market," one large stockist told F...Read More