Asia led global crude steel output growth in 2018, accounting for 1.3 billion tonnes of production - an 8.33% increase - according to statistics published by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) last Friday January 25.Steelmakers across the world produced a total of 1.79 billion tonnes of crude steel last year, up 4.68% compared with 1.71 billion tonnes a year earlier. China, the world's large...Read More
The price for rebar imported to Singapore fell again on Monday January 28 due to ample supply from Ukraine. Fastmarkets MB assessed the import price for rebar in Southeast Asia - which mainly looks at cargoes sold into Singapore on a theoretical weight basis - at $460 per tonne cfr for the week to Monday, narrowing downward from $460-470 per tonne cfr a week earlier. Some 100,000 tonnes of Ma...Read More
The import price for re-rolling-grade hot-rolled coil into Vietnam has risen in the past week on pre-holiday restocking and lower domestic supply. Fastmarkets MB's weekly import price assessment for HRC in Southeast Asia - which mainly looks at Chinese 2-3mm SAE1006 HRC and equivalent grades sold into Vietnam - was $495-500 per tonne cfr for the week ending Monday January 28, up $5-15 per ton...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices were unchanged on Monday January 28 amid inactivity, but export prices rose slightly on low selling pressure. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,710-3,750 yuan ($550-556) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,700-3,740 yuan per tonne, unchangedMost downstream end users have stopped work to get an early start to the holiday for the Chinese New Year, which k...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices rose on Tuesday January 22 led by higher offer prices of mills amid limited need to sell before the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,760-3,770 yuan ($557-559) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,690-3,710 yuan per tonne, unchangedDomestic prices were little changed with trading remaining limited.A H...Read More
China's Hebei Iron & Steel will acquire Tata Steel's operations in Southeast Asia, increasing its footprint in Southeast Asia. Tata Steel subsidiary T S Global Holdings (TSGH) entered an agreement with a HBIS Group Co-controlled entity to divest its entire equity stake in NatSteel Holdings and 67.9% of Tata Steel (Thailand), according to a statement filed to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Monday Jan...Read More
Brazilian authorities and regulators are targeting Vale after the failure of the tailings dam at the global miner's C??rrego do Feij??o mine, at Brumadinho in the country's south-eastern Minas Gerais state.The Brazilian vice president, Hamilton Mour??o, called on Monday January 28 for everyone responsible for the failure of the tailings dam to be punished.He did not rule out changes to the company...Read More
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ordered Ausurus Group and its subsidiary European Metal Recycling (EMR) to pay penalties totalling ?300,000 for failing to comply with an enforcement order in relation to the scrap company's takeover of domestic rival Metal Waste Recycling (MWR) in 2017.The CMA confirmed the fine against Ausurus and EMR earlier this month. The binding agreement f...Read More
Domestic scrap prices in Turkey have increased over the past seven days, in line with higher costs for imported scrap, sources said on Monday January 28.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic auto bundle (DKP-grade) ferrous scrap was TRY1,500-1,660 ($284-315) per tonne delivered on January 28, rising from TRY1,450-1,630 per tonne last week.The change in the assessment came after some st...Read More
The Brazilian miner Vale had 11 billion Reais ($2.91 billion) blocked by local judges following the rupture and flood at one of its tailings dams at the C??rrego do Feij??o mine, while the company is also already subject to fines of up to 349 million Reais.Three separate rulings in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais over the weekend accepted complaints from the state's administration and prosecut...Read More
Iron ore prices shot up across the board on Monday January 28 amid market expectations of supply disruptions following a tailings dam failure at Vale's C??rrego do Feij??o mine in Brazil.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $78.18 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $3.49 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $79.02 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $3.49 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $79.81 per t...Read More
Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Monday January 28 *Copper -$98.15 (-622.81 yuan) Aluminium -$371.18 (-2,506.50 yuan) Zinc -$122.44 (-826.80 yuan) Nickel -$41.15 (-277.90 yuan) *Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month...Read More
The London Metal Exchange's Special Committee has removed the "temporary conditional suspension" on Rusal metal, allowing the warranting of all material dated before and after April 6, 2018, to resume, it said in a note to members on Monday January 28. The move comes after the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) decision to remove sanctions imposed on En+, UC Ru...Read More
Aluminium's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange fell below its nearby support level of $1,900 per tonne during morning trading on Monday January 28, after the US removed sanctions on Russia's biggest aluminium producer, UC Rusal.First imposed on April 6, 2018, the United States' sanctions against the Russian producer spurred uncertainty in both the physical aluminium and alumina markets...Read More
The seaborne coking coal spot market was largely stable on Monday January 28 amid thin trading and little change to offers.A March-loading 80,000-tonne cargo of premium mid-vol hard coking coal was traded at $200 per tonne fob Australia, sources said during the day.Another shipment involving the same brand, also scheduled to be loaded in March, was sold at a 1-2% premium against a basket of indice...Read More
Vital Materials has appointed Nick Boulton as its global sales and product manager, the company told Fastmarkets on Friday January 25. Boulton, who will be based in the United Kingdom in this role, holds over 30 years' experience in multiple roles across a variety of market segments including petrochemicals, fine chemicals pharmaceuticals...Read More
Cobalt prices slumped to near two-year lows last week before stabilizing after a psychological move through $20 per lb incited an improved level of spot inquiries. Fastmarkets' standard-grade cobalt price ended the week at $19-21.15 per lb, in-warehouse, compared with $19-21.40 per lb midweek. Prices had slumped by 9.5% two days earlier. Alloy-grade cobalt prices were slightly lower at $...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in London and Shanghai on Friday January 25.ChinaThe Chinese silicon fob price held steady in a quiet export market with few inquiries and only a little trade ahead of the looming Chinese New Year holiday (Feb 4-10).Prices have been underpinned by supply constraints, with some silicon refiners in southern China curbing production to avoid higher electricity...Read More
A summary of OZ Minerals' production results for the year ended December 31, 2018, as well as its production target for 2019. (Full-year total, year-on-year percentage change) Copper concentrate production 115,998 tonnes, +4% Gold production 135,647 oz, +7% 2019 guidance: Copper...Read More
The global antimony market was quiet in the week ended Friday January 25, with trade thinning ahead of Lunar New Year on February 5. In Europe, Fastmarkets' price assessment for trioxide-grade antimony, in-warehouse Rotterdam, was stable week on week at $7,800-8,000 per tonne on Friday. The price for MMTA standard-grade II antimony, in-warehouse Rotterdam, was also unchanged last week at $7,700-7,...Read More