An overview of the noble alloys markets and their latest price moves. Read More
Prices for hollow steel sections in Northern and Southern Europe moved down this week due to pressure from import prices and feedstock costs, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 16.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?560-580 ($617-639) per tonne on Wednesday, down from ?,?580-590 per tonne one week earlier."...Read More
Demand for passenger cars in Europe jumped by 14.48% year on year in September 2019, the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on October 16.New car sales in Europe totalled 1,249,403 vehicles in September this year, compared with 1,091,390 units sold in the corresponding month of 2018."To a large extent, this strong year-on-year growth is the result of a low base [for the...Read More
BHP has reported a 9.6% year-on-year drop in metallurgical coal output in the three months to September, a period during which fob Australia prices for premium hard coking coal fell amid Chinese import restrictions and weak demand outside of China.The miner produced 9.35 million tonnes of met coal during the period, which also marked a 21% quarter-on-quarter drop, it said on Thursday October 17. B...Read More
Members of the incoming European Commission, expected to take office in November, have released more details of a planned "carbon border tax", which could levy charges on metal imports into the European Union. Products affected would be those deemed by the EU as manufactured with excessive carbon emissions. While details of what will be covered, and under what circumstances, will be included in a...Read More
US President Donald Trump said on Monday October 14 that he will impose a 50% tariff on imports of steel from Turkey in response to that country's military actions in northeastern Syria.However, market participants believe such a move will have a minor impact on the Turkish steel sector, because Turkey's steel exports to the United States are already limited because of weak demand.BilletA trader f...Read More
The London Metal Exchange three-month tin price closed up $275 per tonne at $17,150 per tonne on Thursday October 17 on news that China's Yunnan Tin Co will cease all smelting operations at its Ausmet plant in Gejiu, Yunnan province, on October 21. Yunnan Tin Co, the world's largest tin smelter, produced 78,000 tonnes of refined tin in 2018 and remains the world's largest refined tin producer by s...Read More
Long steel prices in the Turkish domestic market have gone up over the past week in response to the weakening of the lira against the dollar and rising scrap costs, sources said on Thursday October 17.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment on Thursday for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, exw Turkey, was TRY2,880-2,950 ($488-500) per tonne, including 18% VAT, up from last week's TRY2,790-2,80...Read More
Domestic prices for cold-rolled coil (CRC) in the EU have decreased over the past week due to low levels of market activity, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday October 17."Demand is low and the outlook is gloomy because there are no signs that demand or prices will recover any time soon," a European trader said.In addition, prices for hot-rolled coil, the material used as feedstock for CRC produ...Read More
Steel billet prices in the Turkish markets have increased over the past week because of rising scrap costs, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday October 17.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet, import, cfr main port Turkey, was $365-380 per tonne on Thursday, up from the $360-365 per tonne of last week.https://www.metalbulletin.com/My-price-book.html?price=36276Billet producers in...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday October 17 that are worth another look.Alcoa has launched a multi-year review of its aluminium portfolio, placing roughly half of its global smelting capacity under scrutiny for potential curtailment or closure, the company said in an earnings call with investors on Wednesday October 16.Stronger demand from the energy sector an...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday October 16 that are worth another look.Slab shipments to foreign subsidiaries and affiliates of Russia's largest steelmaker, Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), fell by 43% year on year in the third quarter of 2019.A strike kicked off on October 16 at Antofagasta's Antucoya copper project after workers could not reach an agreement...Read More
Electric vehicles (EVs) are forecast to reach cost and functional parity with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2025. Theoretically, this should create the global tipping point for mass market EV adoption, along with the development of the associated charging infrastructure required to accompany the growth.In practice, it is not quite as straightforward.A recent report by investment res...Read More
The world's largest low-grade iron ore producer has confirmed that it will bid for two blocks at what is considered the world's largest untapped high-grade ore resource, a move that reiterates what the industry has been saying over the past few years - that demand for green iron ore or high-grade ore is a structural change in the making."Following the release of information at a public meeting hel...Read More
Global copper supply faces an immediate squeeze but any move in the price looks unlikely.Around 8% of mine supply of copper is at risk of disruption now or in the near future due to strikes, blockades and power shortages in production centers in the United States, Chile, Peru and Zambia.But at $5,700 per tonne, the three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange is near two-year lows and dow...Read More
The London Metal Exchange three-month tin price closed up $275 per tonne at $17,150 per tonne on Thursday October 17 on news that China's Yunnan Tin Co will cease all smelting operations at its Ausmet plant in Gejiu, Yunnan province, on October 21. Yunnan Tin Co, the world's largest tin smelter, produced 78,000 tonnes of refined tin in 2018 and remains the world's largest refined tin producer by s...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices were steady on Thursday October 17, with market participants in China indicating that import restrictions at Chinese ports had become less stringent.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $150.73 per tonne, down $0.87 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $164.76 per tonne, up $0.51 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $123.13 per tonne, uncha...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices continued to fall on Thursday October 17, with sentiment hurt by a continual weakening of rebar futures despite a drop in inventory levels for the flat steel product.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,500-3,510 yuan ($493-495) per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,500 yuan per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonneMills lowered their offers in the...Read More
Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The Wood Mackenzie team will be presenting our analysis and perspectives on key commodities which include Copper, Nickel, Coal (met and thermal) and Aluminium. Join us at the Moscow Metals & Mining Briefing to discuss the issues f...Read More
Turkish steel producers restarted their deep-sea scrap bookings for November shipments at slightly higher prices, sources said on Thursday October 17.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $242 per tonne and 5,000 tonnes of bonus at $252 per tonne cfr.The previous Baltic Sea cargo reported by Fastmarkets was sold at $237 per...Read More