Long ago in a distant galaxy called "2017," stock prices rose every day. And the people were happy. With paper profits in hand they maxed out their credit cards and bank lines to buy flat-screen TVs and cars and cover their student loans.Then one day a darkness began to spread. Stocks began to move in an unfamiliar way that felt profoundly wrong. They went "down" instead of up, and paper profits b...Read More

The unnaturally-tranquil stock markets suddenly plunged over this past week. Volatility skyrocketed out of the blue and shattered years of artificial calm conjured by extreme central-bank distortions. This was a huge shock to the legions of hyper-complacent traders, who are realizing stocks don't rally forever. With stock selling unleashed again, herd psychology will start shifting back to...Read More

After a 25-year wait, China is about to trade Yuan Oil Futures. Expect to see and hear a lot of hype over this event.Continue...Read More

By Market AnthropologyBesides death and taxes - whose ultimatums we continue to try and cheat - the only two things you can truly depend on showing up on a regular basis are gravity and greed. Over the past week, the two collided in the equity markets in rather spectacular fashion, with gravity taking the day. Granted, it's been a while since equity traders felt the strange sensation of gravity....Read More

By Gary ChristensonGlobal stock and bond markets: Watch out below!I discussed over-priced markets here and here and here.2017 was an outstanding year in many markets. DOW up 24.7%NASDAQ 100 up 31% (Wow!)Nikkei up 19%DAX up 12%Gold up 13.6%Silver up 7.1%XAU (gold mining stocks) Index up 8%Dollar Index DOWN 10%We can be certain of the following:Death, Taxes and Politics.When markets move too far a...Read More

European stainless steel base prices have remained unchanged over the past week, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday February 9.Metal Bulletin's weekly base price assessment on Friday for 2mm, grade-304 CR stainless steel sheet was ?,?1,060-1,120 ($1,299-1,373) per tonne delivered in Northern Europe."The good market sentiment in January didn't turn into much [buying] action, and it seems like th...Read More

By BullionStarhttps://www.bullionstar.com/As market turmoil hits both equities and cryptocurrencies, the heightened volatility in these assets underscores gold's unique role as a safe haven, store of value and portfolio diversifier.Stock Market SelloffsWith major US stock indices falling again sharply on Thursday (DJIA - 4.02%, NASDAQ - 4.08%, S&P -3.41%), last Monday's equity market selloff and...Read More

China's ferrous futures trended downward during the morning trading session on Friday February 9. Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,922 ($621) per tonne, down 8 yuan per tonne May hot-rolled coil: 4,008 yuan per tonne, down 14 yuan per tonne Dalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 529.50 yuan per tonne, down 1.50 yuan per tonne May coking coal: 1,363 y...Read More

China's domestic stainless steel prices stabilized over the past week with more and more participants leaving the market ahead of the Chinese New Year. Metal Bulletin's assessment of prices for benchmark 304 stainless cold-rolled coil in the major market of Wuxi was 14,500-15,500 yuan ($2,295-2,453) per tonne including VAT for the week ended Thursday February 8, the same as a week earlier. "More a...Read More

- Brexit uncertainty deepens as UK government in disarray- BOE warns of earlier and larger rate hikes for Brexit-hit UK- UK property prices fall second month in row, London property under pressure- No deal Brexit estimated to cost UK ?80bn according to government analysis- Transition period causing major uncertainty for UK and pound- Pound expected to fall as Brexit fears remain into 2018Editor:...Read More

By Mining JournalNorthern Vertex Mining (CN:NEE) is on the cusp of being the US's next gold and silver producer and has started stacking ore on the new leach pad at its Moss mine in Arizona. Commissioning is continuing and production is ramping up to an initial stacking rate of 2,500 tonnes per day before building to 5,000t/day. The company said to the best of its knowledge, Northern Vertex wa...Read More

Image: ShutterstockCopper and base metals markets are having terrible week, but the rally in the price of cobalt shows no signs of fizzling out. The metal quoted on the LME rose to a fresh 9-year peak of $81,500 a tonne yesterday, a 147% surge since the beginning of 2017.Lithium carbonate prices began its run up two years ago, going from $6,100 per tonne to average $23,350 so far this year on hop...Read More

Tata Steel reported a 59.06% year-on-year increase in its earnings in the quarter ended December 31, 2017, due to good results reported by the Indian divisions of the company.Consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) reached 58.01 billion rupees ($899.93 million) in October-December 2017, the company said on Friday February 9.This was up from 36.47 billio...Read More

Prices for flat steel products in Brazil increased in early February, following the adjustments announced by local producers during January.Metal Bulletin's monthly price assessment for Brazilian hot-rolled coil (HRC) rose to 2,500-2,600 Reais ($763-793) ex-works on Friday February 9, from 2,300-2,400 Reais per tonne ex-works on January 5.In the same...Read More

Rebar prices in Brazil were steady at the beginning of February, amid uncertainty over the approval of the merger between ArcelorMittal Brasil and local long steel producer Votorantim Siderurgia.Metal Bulletin's monthly price assessment for Brazilian rebar was 2,200-2,400 Reais ($677-738) per tonne delivered on Friday February 9, stable on a monthly basis.The transaction, which will turn Votoranti...Read More

Latin American steel group Ternium and Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp (NSSMC) have reached an agreement over the control of Brazilian steel and iron ore producer Usiminas.The two firms, which are Usiminas' main shareholders, have agreed to establish new rules to govern their relationship as members of the Usiminas control group and to "amicably resolve and terminate the pending legal d...Read More

Export prices for cold-rolled coil (CRC) from Latin America increased this week, due to higher prices in Europe, while the price of hot-rolled coil (HRC) remained unchanged.Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment of Latin America's CRC export prices went up to $700-725 per tonne fob on Friday February 9, from $680-695 per tonne fob a week earlier. The weekly price assessment of Latin America's HRC...Read More

Transaction prices for domestic rebar in Poland have been largely unchanged over the past week because buying activity was slow with sufficient material in stock, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday February 9.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for domestic 12mm B500B-grade rebar in Poland was 2,310-2,360 zloty ($678-692) per tonne ex-works on February 9,...Read More

LONDON – The diamond industry has a size problem.Instead of splashing out on a ring or necklace featuring one big, bright diamond, shoppers are increasingly choosing pieces with several, smaller gems, which are often lower quality. And selling jewellery with smaller stones has been a good way for retailers to save money.AdvertisementAs a result, the diamond content in jewellery has been shri...Read More

Metal Bulletin rounds up some of the key news and price moves across the global metal markets this week.Base metalsThe London Metal Exchange's average daily volume was little changed for January 2018 from a year earlier but only when taking into account trading changes due to MiFID II. It was a tough week for the copper market - prices fell to their weakest since mid-December a...Read More