Europe's steel industry is poised for significant consolidation in 2018, though the upside from the scaling back of overcapacity will need to be balanced by the requirement for competitive markets.The New Year is likely to see the formal completion of the merger between Tata Steel and Thyssenkrupp's European steel operations. Thyssenkrupp Tata Steel, in which both companies will hold a 50% stake,...Read More

Southeast Asia is expected to increase its self-sufficiency in 2018 once more flat steel producers start up their plants. The demand for slab is also expected to increase once the production lines are up and running.Vietnam's Hoa Phat Group is targeting a 2019 start-up for its 4-million-tonne-per-year integrated steel mill in central Vietnam. Located in Quang Ngai province, the $2.7-billion mill w...Read More

"I believe there is a good chance that the precious metals will be an outstanding asset class in 2018 – Gold could outperform Bitcoin in the year ahead."https://www.peterlbrandt.com/2018-gold-outlook/Read More

Base metals prices were on divergent paths at the close on the London Metal Exchange on Tuesday January 2 while most prices tried to consolidate recent gains. Zinc was one of the strongest performers today, hitting a high of $3,352 per tonne - the highest since August 2007. Lead followed its sister metal higher, closing up 2%. "Zinc has opened 2018 in a bullish mood; still, falling LME stocks sugg...Read More

Comex copper prices consolidated in the US morning on Tuesday January 2 after trading around a four-year high at the end of 2017. Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 1.20 cents or 0.4% to $3.2885 per lb. Earlier today, prices were in positive territory after Chinese manufacturing data surprised to the upside. But after closer inspection and...Read More

Prices in China for hot-rolled coil narrowed upward in Shanghai on Tuesday January 2 following the rising paper market, but dipped in Tianjin on poor demand.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,290-4,310 yuan ($658-661) per tonne, narrowed upward by 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,150-4,180 yuan per tonne, down by 20 yuan per tonneThe northern Chinese market remained weak amid poor dem...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 2 (SMM)? 1/4 ? Nonferrous metals were mixed on the first trading day of 2018 with nickel outperforming others with a 2% rise. Zinc and tin rose around 1% while lead dropped 0.73% and copper dropped 0.63%.On the other hand, iron ore led the ferrous complex with a 2.6% gain. Rebar, coking coal and hot-rolled coil all rose some 2%, while coke was up over 1%.Copper: Copper saw the techni...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 2 (SMM)? 1/4 ? Nonferrous metals were mixed on the first trading day of 2018 with nickel outperforming others with a 2% rise. Zinc and tin rose around 1% while lead dropped 0.73% and copper dropped 0.63%.On the other hand, iron ore led the ferrous complex with a 2.6% gain. Rebar, coking coal and hot-rolled coil all rose some 2%, while coke was up over 1%.Copper: Copper saw the techni...Read More

Base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange are for the most part consolidating this morning, Tuesday January 2, with lead the exception where prices are up 0.6% at $2,514 per tonne. The rest are little changed with copper prices at $7,254 per tonne, but trading volume has been high at 11,821 lots as of 7.30am London time. This comes after an overall positive close to the year on Friday Decemb...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 2 (SMM)? 1/4 ? Nonferrous metals were mixed on the first trading day of 2018 with nickel outperforming others with a 2% rise. Zinc and tin rose around 1% while lead dropped 0.73% and copper dropped 0.63%.On the other hand, iron ore led the ferrous complex with a 2.6% gain. Rebar, coking coal and hot-rolled coil all rose some 2%, while coke was up over 1%.Copper: Copper saw the techni...Read More

Peter KrauthGold prices today are pushing higher, extending December's 5% rally into the new year. That's not surprising for us, as we are predicting a gold bull market in 2018.Gold rose above $1,300 on Dec. 28 for the first time since early October, and it had plenty of momentum on its side. That's carried gold prices in 2018 even higher, as the yellow metal is up to $1,314.40 today.Despite a vol...Read More

Jinchuan Group’s nickel smelter caught fire due to organic solvent on the New Year’s Eve, and about 10,000 mt of output is estimated to be affected, SMM learned.While the company was still assessing the impact, some parts of the plant may be rebuilt and it is estimated to take at least three months. Some 30,000 mt of its annual capacity, which stands at 150,000 mt, is set to be impacte...Read More

Copper foil price is set to go up further as global deficit of the raw material for lithium-ion battery is estimated to increase to 10% in 2018, according to information provider cableabc.com.Global supply of copper foil for lithium-ion battery is forecast to be 146,000 mt but demand stands at 161,000 mt. The deficit has widened from 90,000 mt of supply and 91,000 mt of demand in 2015.Higher coppe...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 are benefiting from positive money flows coming from individual investors deploying yearend bonuses and from institutional in investors deploying quarter end premium receipts.L Brands added $1.18 to $61.40 after Beard upgraded the stock to Outperform. Target was raised to $7...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 2 (SMM)? 1/4 ? Zinc prices are set to remain firm at the start of this year but they are forecast to slide in the second half of 2018 with better balance seen between supply and demand, SMM believed.We forecast the LME three-month zinc price to trade at $2,450-3,500/mt in 2018, and the SHFE zinc at 20,500-29,700 yuan/mt.In 2017, zinc prices surged over 20% and hit 10-year high due to...Read More

The Caixin manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PM) hit 51.5 points in December, setting a new high in four months and beating the expectation at 50.7 points. It was also higher than November’s 50.8 points.A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below that signals contraction. The article is edited by SMM and is provided for informa...Read More

The Caixin manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PM) hit 51.5 points in December, setting a new high in four months and beating the expectation at 50.7 points. It was also higher than November’s 50.8 points.A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below that signals contraction. The article is edited by SMM and is provided for informa...Read More

Stratfor forecasts key geopolitical trends that will shape the global balance of power by the quarter, year and decade. Below is an overview of Stratfor's 2018 Annual Forecast. The complete forecast is available at Stratfor Worldview.Reckoning With North Korea: Though the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula can't be ruled out, the United States will probably try to avoid a costly preventive stri...Read More

The Caixin manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PM) hit 51.5 points in December, setting a new high in four months and beating the expectation at 50.7 points. It was also higher than November’s 50.8 points.A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below that signals contraction. The article is edited by SMM and is provided for informa...Read More

SHANGHAI, Jan 2 (SMM)? 1/4 ?Copper: LME copper is set to see a correction following 15 consecutive days of increase and bulls taking profits. While it is expected to trade at $7,180-7,320/mt today, the SHFE 1803 copper is expected to trade at 55,200-56,000 yuan/mt. Trading liquidity in the spot market is set to recover and we see discounts at 220-150 yuan/mt today.Aluminium: LME aluminium set a ne...Read More