The price of stainless steel in the domestic European market was unchanged in the week ended Friday March 13 amid stable market conditions, but participants were bracing for a substantial downturn driven by the measures to contain the outbreak of 2019-nCoV coronavirus, sources have told Fastmarkets."So far... demand is unchanged, but a decrease might come," a Scandinavian distributor said. "Can we...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ended Friday March 13.China Spot domestic Chinese ferro-chrome prices have dropped after leading mill Tsingshan Group lowered its March tender price by 2.6%.The lower tender and...Read More

Italian long steel producer Feralpi Group has announced the closure of one of its mills, starting from March 16, due to the outbreak of 2019-nCoV coronavirus, the company told Fastmarkets on Friday March 13.On March 11, Italian authorities issued another decree intended to help restrict the spread of the coronavirus infection, tightening the lockdown across the country from the conditions set out...Read More

Two more steel producers in Italy have stopped operations following the recent nationwide extension of the country's coronavirus-related quarantine area, and more stoppages were expected, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday March 12.On March 11, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree tightening the Italian lockdown from the conditions set out in a previous decree on March 9. While...Read More

Brazilian miner Vale has said it may have to implement contingency measures or eventually suspend operations due to the global spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pandemic around the world.The miner made it clear, however, that "as of today, we have not suffered any material impact to our operations, logistics, sales or financial position, nor [have] any of our employees tested p...Read More

The price of steel slab from Brazil has edged downward over the past week, with sellers attempting to put limits to a downtrend in the market amid growing uncertainty in the United States.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, fell to $460-470 per tonne on Friday March 13, from $470-475 per tonne in the previous week.The market was shaken when many custo...Read More

Aluminium primary foundry alloy premiums were stable in Europe and the United States this week, with market participants pondering the long-term effects of the outbreak of 2019-nCoV coronavirus on the market's fundamentals and supply chain.EuropePremiums in Europe were steady, with market participants uncertain about the direction the market might take due to the measures being taken to try to con...Read More

Steel import prices in South America were mixed over the past week, with some suppliers taking advantage of lower availability to present more expensive offers, while China-origin material was offered at lower levels, source told Fastmarkets.Market participants noted an unusual scenario of flat-rolled steel being offered to Brazil at lower levels than South American Pacific countries. Chinese stee...Read More

An overview of the minor metals markets andthe reasons for any price moves.Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month copper price maintained its level on Friday March 13, closing at $5,460, with almost 31,000 lots traded on the day.The copper price touched a high of $5,589 per tonne but also fell to a low of $5,319.50, before consolidating around the $5,400-per-tonne mark.The copper price was also supported by the fresh cancellation of 1,150 tonnes on Friday, bring...Read More

The main coking coal exports hub of Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal (DBCT) in Queensland, Australia, declared force majeure after vessel loading operations were suspended earlier this week, market sources told Fastmarkets on Friday March 13.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $162.13 per tonne, up $2.57 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $166.68 per tonne, up $1.82 per...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices moved higher on Friday March 13 as portside iron ore stocks fell, steel and steelmaking raw materials futures rose, China's central bank provided another boost to the economy and global equities market found a footing following a rout earlier this week.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.71 per tonne, up $0.96 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ended Friday March 13. United States  Thin available inventory pressured prices upward. Consumer interest was still limited but suppliers drove liquidity...Read More

The pig iron market in the United States has weakened during the week to Friday March 13, under pressure from the general economic uncertainty caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment of pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US, was $345-347 per tonne on Friday, down from $360-363 per tonne a week ago."We are concerned about the effects...Read More

Most mill-grade aluminium scrap prices fell in the United States this past week, encouraged by weaker London Metal Exchange aluminium prices and uncertainty resulting from the spread of the novel coronavirus."The mill-grades are down this week. The LME dropped a lot, and scrap hasn't fallen as much but it's down a bit," one US scrap seller said.Fastmarkets assessed the segregated low copper alloy...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month copper price maintained its level on Friday March 13, closing at $5,460, with almost 31,000 lots traded on the day.The copper price touched a high of $5,589 per tonne but also fell to a low of $5,319.50, before consolidating around the $5,400-per-tonne mark.The copper price was also supported by the fresh cancellation of 1,150 tonnes on Friday, bring...Read More

An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Read More

A summary of UC Rusal's financial results for the full year to December 31, 2019. In brief:  Rusal recorded a net profit of $960 million in the 12 months to December 31, 2019 compared with $1.698 billion in 2018, a fall of 43.5%. The company's revenue fell by 5.5% to $9.711 billion from $10.28 billion over the same period of 2018.  Rusal attributed the fall in profit to a 15.1% decrease...Read More

A summary of Hydro's financial results for 2019 up to December 31. In brief:  Hydro's underlying earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) decreased to 3.36 billion Norwegian kroner ($336 million) from 9.07 billion Norwegian kroner for 2018.  The decrease mainly reflects lower aluminium and alumina prices. It was partly offset by increased production in Brazil, lower raw material costs a...Read More

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Institutes (ISRI) has decided to cancel the annual recycling event in Las Vegas next month, the biggest of its kind in the scrap industry, citing concerns over the spread of the coronavirus (2019-nCoV).ISRI Convention and Exposition - the largest event in the recycling industry - was originally scheduled to take place on April 25-30 in Las Vegas, United States. The...Read More