Diamond marketpositive despite slower-than-expected Hong Kong show. China outlook optimistic,with some uncertainty over unlimited Xi Jinping rule. Government relaxinganti-corruption measures, and consumers more confident about displaying wealth.Chinese female self-purchases rising. Hong Kong jewelry and watch sales +10% to$1B in Jan. Diamond buyers adapting to higher polished-price levels, with 1...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The JCK Industry Fund will again provide a grant to the Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F) in support of its Diamonds Do Good Initiative, a consumer-facing initiative designed to highlight to consumers the collective good works of the diamond and jewelry industry. This year's grant is $100,000.   Research shows 75% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase a diamond afte...Read More

Prices for hollow steel sections in Europe are expected to rise because of the low availability of steel coil, market sources have told Metal Bulletin.The supply of hot-rolled coil (HRC) has reduced because mills are heavily booked and there has been a lack of workable import offers. These factors have put tube mills in a quandary when trying to secure...Read More

Offer prices from mills for European domestic steel beams rose slightly this week, helped by an uptick in scrap prices and more interest from customers, although buyers were less convinced about the health of the market, Metal Bulletin heard.Higher offer prices from mills widened Metal Bulletin's price assessment for S235-grade, 200x200mm category-2 H-beams made in Northern Europe upward by ?,?5 p...Read More

RAPAPORT... Mobile payment app Mazalit has raised $1.9 million infunding from diamond companies, and aims to begin piloting thetechnology in the near future.Israel-based MID House of Diamonds, Benma Diamonds, Novel Collectionand HND Diamonds are among the new investors in the start-up, founder and CEOZe'ev Maimon told Rapaport News this week. It aims to use the money to developits technology to th...Read More

Aluminium's three-month price recovered above $2,100 per tonne at the 5pm close on Thursday March 8, with all eyes on the United States' expected tariff announcement. President Donald Trump is expected to announce the official Section 232 import tariffs after 8pm London time, which held the aluminium three-month price steady throughout the day. It closed $8 higher at $2,106 per tonne. Tin was the...Read More

RAPAPORT... The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has arrestedand charged a man accused of stealing diamonds at the Diavik mine, the force saidWednesday. Samson Mkhitaryan is suspected of stealing more than $3,860 (CAD 5,000) in diamonds. The theft was "internal," the police noted. In February, Diavik Diamond Mines (DDM) - which Rio Tinto owns - reported the missing stones to the RCMP. The poli...Read More

Prices for long steel products are expected to increase across Europe in March with steel mills counting on a rise in consumption as the weather improves, market sources told Metal Bulletin this week. Cold and wintry weather conditions have restricted construction activity in Europe in recent weeks, thereby pushing down demand for long steel products. But weather and demand have both improved...Read More

RAPAPORT PRESS RELEASE, March 8, 2018, New York... Rapaport has released its newly redesigned report on themajor jewelry auction sales, providing detailed information on selling pricesin a clearer, more user-friendly format.Magnificent Jewels Auction Results presents comprehensivedata on sales of diamonds and colored gemstones at Christie's and Sotheby'sflagship auctions in New York, Geneva and Ho...Read More

RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished-diamond exports slid last month,according to data from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). Polished exports decreased 6% year on year to $1.28 billion in February and, by volume, fell 5% to 503,890 carats. The average price declined 1% to$2,535 per carat. Polished exports to the US slumped 21% to $201.2 million,while shipments to Hong Kong dropped 10% to $667.6...Read More

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals fell across the board in the afternoon with SHFE nickel leading the loss with a 2% drop. Copper and zinc were down over 1%, aluminium slid almost 1%, and other metals edged down.The ferrous complex also saw a weak performance, with iron ore and rebar leading the slump and closing 4% lower. Coke and coking coal dropped over 3%, and hot-rolle...Read More

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals fell across the board in the afternoon with SHFE nickel leading the loss with a 2% drop. Copper and zinc were down over 1%, aluminium slid almost 1%, and other metals edged down.The ferrous complex also saw a weak performance, with iron ore and rebar leading the slump and closing 4% lower. Coke and coking coal dropped over 3%, and hot-rolle...Read More

RAPAPORT... Gem Diamonds has recovered a 152-carat stone from its Let??eng mine in Lesotho, the company said Wednesday. The white, type IIa diamond is the sixthstone over 100 carats the miner has unearthed since the start of 2018. InJanuary, Gem Diamonds found a 910-carat stone, which it claimed was thefifth-largest rough stone in history. Gem Diamonds' recovery of large stones has drivenits stron...Read More

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals fell across the board in the afternoon with SHFE nickel leading the loss with a 2% drop. Copper and zinc were down over 1%, aluminium slid almost 1%, and other metals edged down.The ferrous complex also saw a weak performance, with iron ore and rebar leading the slump and closing 4% lower. Coke and coking coal dropped over 3%, and hot-rolle...Read More

Metal Bulletin's London office brings you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday March 8.The London Metal Exchange three-month copper price was over $100 per tonne lower in morning trading today, while nickel price dropped 2.8% from yesterday's 5pm close. A firmer dollar and geopolitical concerns over a potential trade war have led to the sustained weakness. Meanwhile, aluminium was...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 8 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of Weekly Jobless Claims at 8:30 AM EST. Consensus was an increase to 220,000 from 210,000 last week. Actual was 231,000.The Canadian Dollar was virtually unchanged following release of Canada's February Housing Start report. Consen...Read More

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macro-economic news last night and what is expected today.Last nightThe base metals fell across the board as US dollar rebounded and as the trade war brews. SHFE aluminium and lead slid over 1%, copper dropped close to 1%, while LME lead lost over 2% and aluminium fell close to 2% to a three-month low.China's foreign-exchange reserves i...Read More

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – The copper spot market in Shanghai was less active on Thursday March 7 than a day earlier with the red metal trading at a discount of 130-70 yuan/mt. As the SHFE copper edged down today with resistance at the five-day moving average, spot prices faced pressure with reluctant buyers.At noon, higher-grade copper traded at 51,720-51,800 yuan/mt, SMM learned. Fo...Read More

SHANGHAI, Mar 8 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macro-economic news last night and what is expected today.Last nightThe base metals fell across the board as US dollar rebounded and as the trade war brews. SHFE aluminium and lead slid over 1%, copper dropped close to 1%, while LME lead lost over 2% and aluminium fell close to 2% to a three-month low.China's foreign-exchange reserves i...Read More

Good morning from Metal Bulletin's office in Singapore as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday March 8.Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mostly lower during Asian morning trading on Thursday, influenced by the weak performance of prices on the London Metal Exchange overnight. Only nickel prices managed to post any gains, supported by the bullishness s...Read More