Major cable maker Nexans has acquired a Denmark-based wind turbine cable kit provider to tap into the expanding wind power sector, the company said on Thursday January 11.The Paris-based company has bought a controlling interest in BE CableCon, a supplier of cable kits for some of Europe's major wind turbine companies and a sub-contractor of Nexans' own kitting projects, according to a company sta...Read More

Marco Cumbo Nacheli has joined warehousing company Pacorini Global Services (PGS) where he will have responsibility for corporate business development, he told Metal Bulletin on Friday January 12.He joins Mario Casciano and Daniel Saez and has plans to "continue to expand the PGS global footprint in all regions across the globe," he said in an emailed statement.Cumbo Nacheli was the global he...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange closed the week on divergent paths today, Friday January 12, with aluminium leading the upside.The three-month aluminium price closed above $2,200 per tonne for the first time since the first trading day of the year. 16,000 tonnes of aluminium was freshly cancelled at LME-listed warehouses this morning, which supported prices. "Strong Chinese trade f...Read More

China, the world's largest copper consuming country, imported 4.69 million tonnes of unwrought copper in 2017, down 5.7% from a year ago, according to the latest customs data.The amount of unwrought copper brought into the country in 2016 was 4.95 million tonnes. The drop stands in contrast to the rising domestic copper production. For the first ten months...Read More

Operations at Glencore's Pasar copper smelter in Philippines have been suspended since last week due to a technical failure, a source at the company confirmed to Metal Bulletin on Friday January 12. "There has been an equipment failure at the plant related to the cooler (and relevant controls have already kicked in) and operations have been suspended," the source said. It is not yet known when the...Read More

China exported 4.79 million tonnes of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products in the whole of 2017, up 4.5% on a yearly basis, according to preliminary Chinese customs data released on Friday January 12.The average value of Chinese aluminium exports in 2017 was $2,733 per tonne, an increase of 1.4% from $2,695 per tonne in 2016, according to the data. "The whole export condition is better in 20...Read More

Export prices of steel billet from Latin America increased this week, amid higher global prices, Metal Bulletin has learned.Deals closed in late December were reported at as high as $510 per tonne fob for February shipment for Brazilian material, sources told Metal Bulletin. Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment...Read More

Domestic prices for rebar in Poland have increased over the past week due to higher scrap costs, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday January 12.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for domestic 12mm B500B-grade rebar in Poland was 2,240-2,300 zloty ($643-661) per tonne ex-works on January 12, compared with 2,220-2,270 per tonne ex-works a...Read More

Export prices for Latin America-origin cold-rolled coil (CRC) went up this week, while prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) were flat amid renewed offers from Brazil.Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment of Latin America's CRC export prices increased to $670-685 per tonne fob on Friday January 12, compared with $635-640 per tonne fob a week earlier.Meanwhile, Latin America's HRC export prices...Read More

Export prices for Brazil-origin steel slab increased this week on higher raw materials costs and limited supply from other regions, Metal Bulletin has heard.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment of Brazil export slab went up to $510-520 per tonne fob on Friday January 12, from $500-510 per tonne fob a week earlier.Offers were reported at a minimum $520 per tonne fob, several market participants...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, hot-dipped galvanized coil, pre-painted galvanized iron, steel plate, steel sheet and other flat steel products. Latest transactions: HRC, CRC, HDG, PPGIHot-rolled coilTurkey, domestic, hot-rolled coil, offered at $620-630 per tonne ex-works, March production. Turkey, domestic, hot-rolled coil, traded at...Read More

Some coated flat steel prices increased in Turkey this week, although demand was not very strong in either the local or export markets, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday January 12. Some coated flat steel prices increased in Turkey this week, although demand was not very strong in either the local or export markets, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday January 12. Domestic pric...Read More

The following Metal Bulletin noble alloys, bulk alloys and ores prices changed on Friday January 12:Noble alloys Molybdenum Europe drummed molybdic oxide, $/lb: $11.05-11.30 per lb from $11.00-11.30 Molybdenum US canned molybdic oxide, $/Ib $11.00-11.30 per Ib from $10.90-11.15 Ferro-molybdenum basis 65% min, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/kg Mo: $26.50-27.20 per kg from $26.50-27.10 Ferro-molybdenum U...Read More

Prices for shredded scrap imported in containers into India continued to rise this week despite a weakening in the country's domestic finished and semi-finished steel markets, sources said on Friday January 12.Metal Bulletin's index for Indian imported shredded scrap rose to $380.45 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on Friday January 12, up by $6.36 per tonne week-on-week."The scrap market is firm in all...Read More

The UK inter-merchant price range for austenitic alloy steel scrap narrowed upward by ?10 per tonne this week with nickel prices remaining strong, sources said on Friday January 12.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for inter-merchant 18/8 scrap solids in the UK was ?960-980 ($1,297-1,324) per tonne delivered on Friday, compared with ?950-980 per tonne on January 5."It's not easy to buy b...Read More

The market in the United Kingdom for grade 5C ferrous scrap has increased in the past week, with prices rising on tough competition between a couple of major dealers for seemingly tight supplies, according to industry sources.And the current trend toward higher prices that started on November 10 last year may persist in the near future amid tough competition for material.Northern European export p...Read More

German steelmakers have settled their monthly scrap contracts for January with an average price increase of ?,?10 ($12) per tonne, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday January 12.But some mills, that had paid more for material in December, have settled contracts for scrap with a rise of ?,?5 per tonne this month, according to market participants.Metal Bulletin's monthly price assessment for domes...Read More

The Turkish deep-sea scrap market went quiet again on Friday January 12 amid tight supply, although the country's steel producers were still expected to book more cargoes for February.The supply especially in the United States was said to be tight due to heavy winter conditions, which was limiting the flow of...Read More

Comex copper prices were lower on the morning of Friday January 12, with volumes small ahead of the US holiday weekend.Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped by 0.45 cents or 0.1% to trade recently at $3.2285 per lb. The trading range so far has been between $3.2180 and $3.2490 per oz."Copper is comfortably consolidating," Metal Bulletin analys...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher during morning trading on Friday January 12, with zinc continuing to edge higher. The three-month zinc price hit a high of $3,409 per tonne already this morning - the highest since August 2007. "Momentum-based indicators show a strong uptrend in motion. A fresh 2018 high is likely to occur in the coming days," Boris Mikanikrezai, M...Read More