Production of nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) lithium-ion batteries at South Korean battery maker LG Chem is not being affected by supply disruptions at L&F, one of its local cathode materials suppliers, a company source told Fastmarkets."L&F is not a major supplier to LG Chem," the source said. "LG Chem's own battery cathode operations can make up for the disrupted feedstock supply at L&F."Located...Read More

Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in Europe have inched down over the past week due to poor demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate, 8-40mm, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?510-525 ($568-585) per tonne ex-works on March 4, down by ?,?5 per tonne week on week from ?,?515-530 per tonne on February 26.The assessment was based...Read More

Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil in Northern Europe have inched down under pressure from competitive import offers, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel CRC, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?535-560 ($596-624) per tonne on March 4, down by ?,?10 per tonne week on week from ?,?545-570 per tonne. The assessment reflected deals and achi...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were expected to remain largely stable over the week, supported by a lack of competitive import offers and good order books at domestic steelmakers, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 4.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, ex-works Northern Europe, was ?,?484.55 ($540.04) per tonne on March 4, up by only ?,...Read More

The United States Department of Commerce has announced an affirmative preliminary circumvention ruling against imports of steel concrete reinforcing bar from Mexico.Imports of straight rebar that is bent at one or both ends, produced and/or exported to the US by Deacero SAPI de CV, circumvent the existing anti-dumping duty order on rebar from Mexico that is in straight or coil form,...Read More

The prices of mesh-quality wire rod in the European domestic markets have widened downward slightly over the past seven days amid competition among sellers, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday March 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?455-470 ($507-524) per tonne on March 4, down by ?,?5 per tonne on the low end.The corre...Read More

The price of steel rebar in the Italian domestic market was lower this week because of concerns that the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak will significantly and negatively affect the economy, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 4. "The market in Italy is quiet and coronavirus is going to stop the economy," one distributor said. The construction industry has not slowed, but buyers are actin...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday March 4 that are worth another look.Brazilian mining company Vale has decided to halt operations indefinitely at its Fazend??o iron ore mine in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais, after an expansion permit was revoked in February by the local environmental development council.Market participants avoided sending aluminium fro...Read More

There were new bookings reported in the Turkish deep-sea scrap market on Wednesday March 4, with steel mills expected to hold out until the end of the week, sources told Fastmarkets.The steel mills went quiet at the start of last week, after buying around 750,000 tonnes in February with no new cargoes booked so far in March.The last cargo reported sold, was on Monday February 24,&nb...Read More

Weaker domestic demand and a number of traders in short-selling positions have led to a drop in Japan export scrap prices over the past week, market sources told Fastmarkets.Lower offer prices from Japanese exporters resulted in increased sales activity from the country to South Korea and Taiwan during the week.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel scrap H2 export, fob main port Japan, was ?23,...Read More

Trading activity in the Iranian export billet market was limited in the week to Wednesday March 4 because of a mismatch between mills' offer prices and the bids placed by customers.Iranian billet producers continued to insist on export offers at $390 per tonne fob, referring to strong demand in the domestic market.The increased demand seen in the local market in recent weeks was the result of the...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices were mixed on Wednesday March 4, with those in the east of the country edging higher while those in the north moved down slightly on different trading activity.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,420-3,440 yuan ($493-496) per tonne, narrowed upward by 20 yuan per tonne Northern China (Beijing): 3,280-3,320 yuan per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneIn eastern China, some tradin...Read More

Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday March 4. Key drivers:  Prices move into March unchanged after four weeks, although participants report signs of renewed demand for second-quarter settlements from consumers in the steel sector.European suppliers expected to push...Read More

The Chinese ferro-silicon price continued to fall in the week to Wednesday March 4 due to high stocks and worsening magnesium price performance. Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-silicon 75% Si min, in-whs China was 5,800-6,000 yuan ($837-866) per tonne on Wednesday, down by 7.6% at the midpoint from 6,300-6,400 in the previous week. "The price has fallen back to where it was before the...Read More

A buildup of manganese ore at Chinese ports is set to escalate in the coming weeks when a jump in fresh imports adds to a spillover of material into minor ports, manganese market sources predict. Manganese ore stocks in main Chinese ports stand at 4.64-4.85 million tonnes according to Fastmarkets' latest assessment on Monday March 2, compared with 4.52-4.64 million tonnes at the end of 2019....Read More

Demand for flat steel products in Turkey improved in February because end-user stock levels were low, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 4.Sources added that local producers have now filled their order books until late April.Local demand was moderate in Turkey in February because buyers placed orders only to replenish their stocks. The market was now uncertain about the direct...Read More

Turkey's flat steel import volumes increased by 45.65% year on year in January 2020, according to the latest statistics from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK).The country imported 724,601 tonnes of flat steel in January 2020, compared with 497,487 tonnes in January 2019.Demand for flat steel in Turkey was better in January 2020 compared with December 2019, with producers in Turkey full...Read More

Turkey's flat steel export volumes fell by 6.77% year-on-year in January, according to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK).The main reason for the decrease was the safeguard measures and quotas in Europe.The European Commission (EC) set preliminary safeguard measures on imports of 23 steel products on July 18, 2018.And the EC...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday March 4 that are worth another look.Brazilian mining company Vale has decided to halt operations indefinitely at its Fazend??o iron ore mine in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais, after an expansion permit was revoked in February by the local environmental development council.Market participants avoided sending aluminium fro...Read More

Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in Europe have inched down over the past week due to poor demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday March 4.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate, 8-40mm, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?510-525 ($568-585) per tonne ex-works on March 4, down by ?,?5 per tonne week on week from ?,?515-530 per tonne on February 26.The assessment was based...Read More