The outlook for domestic prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in Europe remained negative, although they have been largely stable in the week ended Wednesday April 17, sources have told Fastmarkets.Domestic HRC prices in Europe have been under pressure from limited trading activity and they were expected to gradually decline, according to market participants."The market is showing a trend in a negativ...Read More
Copper's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange climbed above $6,600 per tonne at the close of trading on Wednesday April 17, buoyed by strong GDP figures out of China while a softer dollar index below the psychological level of 97 supported afternoon buying.Volumes traded in the red metal reached their highest level since March 22 over the day, with more than 24,000 lots changing hands by...Read More
Chinese nickel premiums strengthened on Tuesday April 16 due to optimism that the import window will open, while the European nickel briquette premium softened on bearish sentiment. Chinese premiums strengthen ahead of import window opening European briquette premium slides on bearish sentiment US premiums hold firm, retain previous gains Chinese premiums rise to meet import window open...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday April 17 that are worth another look.Precious metals prices would support zinc and lead mining even if the global markets crashed, including those for base metals, panelists said at Fastmarkets' International Lead & Zinc Conference in London on Tuesday April 16. Copper's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange...Read More
Low-grade manganese ore prices have held relatively steady since rebounding from this year's lows in January, when market participants toned down fears of oversupply in the alloy market. Normally volatile low-grade manganese ore prices have held relatively steady since rebounding from this year's lows in January, after which market participants toned down fears of oversupply in the alloy market. F...Read More
When the London Metal Exchange amended its policies related to its physical delivery network a few years ago, it overlooked one key thing. The issue centers on LME's linked load-in/load-out (LILO) rule, which operates by linking the amount of metal a warehouse loads in to the amount it is obligated to load out for warehouses that have queues of over 50 days.The rule changes were part of package of...Read More
Ahead of Fastmarkets' Battery Materials 2019 conference in Shanghai, Fastmarkets looks at use of lithium in next-generation vehicles and other battery uses, as well as soaring prices, which have spurred interest in lithium and boosted its importance in recent years as a battery material. In June 2016, the spot price in China peaked at $27 per kg, more than three times the global contract price, ac...Read More
Chinese vanadium prices have dropped significantly since this year's week-long Lunar New Year holiday (February 4-10) amid falling international prices and weak demand in both the domestic and international markets.For example, Fastmarkets assessed the export price for ferro-vanadium, min 78%, fob China, at $50-54 per kg on Thursday April 11, which is down by around 28.5% from $70.50-75 per kg on...Read More
Copper's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange climbed above $6,600 per tonne at the close of trading on Wednesday April 17, buoyed by strong GDP figures out of China while a softer dollar index below the psychological level of 97 supported afternoon buying.Volumes traded in the red metal reached their highest level since March 22 over the day, with more than 24,000 lots changing hands by...Read More
The lead price could rebound above $2,000 per tonne and even touch $2,100 per tonne in the next six months because it is oversold and supply and demand conditions remain tight this year, Macquarie bank said on Tuesday April 16. "The recent decline in the lead price is overdone and was on the back of a large re-warranting in Asia rather than a change in fundamentals," Macquarie metals strategist Vi...Read More
The Comex copper market jumped up in US morning trading on Wednesday April 17 amid positive reaction to a combination of better-than-expected Chinese economic news and a softer dollar.The copper price for May settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange surged 5.95 cents to $2.99 per lb. At last glance, the dollar index was at 96.95, down 0.16% and just below the psychologi...Read More
China's month-on-month new electric vehicles (NEV) sales rebounded in August after month-on-month declines in June and July. The drop in sales between May and June was the first drop since September 2016, but Fastmarkets MB had expected Chinese NEV sales to dip temporarily after the June subsidy changes came into effect because consumers and NEV manufacturers would have to adjust to the new subsid...Read More
Iron ore prices fell sharply in the second half of November after climbing through October, with prices for higher-grade material pioneering the decline.Fastmarkets MB daily benchmark for 65% Fe fines dropped by 22% by Monday November 26 after peaking on October 29. The 62% Fe iron ore index declined by 16% over the period, as some Chinese steelmakers started to seek larger volumes of cheaper ores...Read More
The steel scrap sector in the United States still depends on exports to Turkey, a member of the Fastmarkets research team said during the ferrous session at the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference in London.This dependence persists despite the changes in the international markets created by the US' imposition of its Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel products, metals analyst Le...Read More
An overview of the noble alloys markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday April 17 that are worth another look.Precious metals prices would support zinc and lead mining even if the global markets crashed, including those for base metals, panelists said at Fastmarkets' International Lead & Zinc Conference in London on Tuesday April 16. Copper's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday April 17.Please click...Read More
The lead price could rebound above $2,000 per tonne and even touch $2,100 per tonne in the next six months because it is oversold and supply and demand conditions remain tight this year, Macquarie bank said on Tuesday April 16. "The recent decline in the lead price is overdone and was on the back of a large re-warranting in Asia rather than a change in fundamentals," Macquarie metals strategist Vi...Read More
The Comex copper market jumped up in US morning trading on Wednesday April 17 amid positive reaction to a combination of better-than-expected Chinese economic news and a softer dollar.The copper price for May settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange surged 5.95 cents to $2.99 per lb. At last glance, the dollar index was at 96.95, down 0.16% and just below the psychologi...Read More