The domestic market for flat steel in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was broadly stable during the week to Monday July 5, with trading remaining slow amid expectations that prices will decline in July due to the effects of export duties, sources told Fastmarkets.Hot-rolled sheetFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled sheet, domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 105,00...Read More

July 3rd 2021The following notes were developed prior to my interview on Michael Campbell's Money Talks radio show on CKNW on Saturday. Trader's outlook for North American equity marketsSeasonal influences for North American equity markets are positive in the month of July (particularly in a Post-U.S. Presidential Election year). Strength is Post-U.S. Presidential Election years is related to...Read More

Turkish deep-sea scrap import markets were quiet on Monday July 5 with mills reluctant to buy scrap amid limited finished steel demand, while suppliers kept offers firm, market sources told Fastmarkets.Steel producers in Turkey booked four deep-sea cargoes last week, three of which were booked by a single steel mill.The most recent deep-sea transaction put the heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) price...Read More

Gerald Group's subsidiary SL Mining resumed loading iron ore for export in the Port of Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, on Sunday July 4 2021, the London-based metals trader said this week.The company's first exports since June 2019, the "Marampa Blue" brand iron ore concentrate being shipped is more than 65% iron content and the unspecified volumes being transported will be taken from SL Mini...Read More

Iron ore prices were up on Monday July 5 with market sentiment improving because of the easing of restrictions in China's steelmaking hub of Tangshan, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $221.82 per tonne, up by $3.84 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $223.14 per tonne, up by $3.57 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $184...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices were largely stable in the cfr market on Monday July 5, but surged in the fob market due to some buyers starting purchase material to restock, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $203.20 per tonne, up $3.14 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $307.85 per tonne, up $0.27 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $173.42...Read More

China bucked the trend among major iron ore importers by continuing to increase its purchases of the steelmaking raw material from abroad in 2020.The country imported 1.17 billion tonnes of the iron ore last year, an increase of 9.4% compared with 2019.European Union countries collectively accounted for the largest decrease among major iron ore importers, with purchases tumbling 20.8% year on year...Read More

Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for steel scrap HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix) US material import, cfr main port Taiwan, $/tonne (MB-STE-0464), via an open consultation process between June 1 and July 1, 2021.This consultation was done as part of our published annual methodology review process. No feedback was received during the consultation period and therefore no...Read More

Prices for seaborne iron ore pellets and concentrate rose in the week ended Friday July 2, albeit at a slower pace than a week earlier amid temporary restrictions on sintering and blast furnace operations in certain parts of China.Fastmarkets iron ore indicesIron ore pellet premium over 65% Fe fines, cfr China: $62 per tonne, unchanged65% Fe blast furnace pellet, cfr Qingdao: $301.21 per tonne, up...Read More

Vale has completed maintenance on its ship loader CN6 at its Ponta da Madeira port terminal in the northern Brazilian state of Maranh??o, which caught fire in January, it said on Friday July 2.The miner has started the commissioning of the ship loader after a five-month maintenance, in line with its schedule announced earlier this year.It has replaced more than 60% of the components of the ship lo...Read More

Hot-rolled coil prices across China's domestic market cruised higher on Monday July 5, with the futures market riding an upward wave across the ferrous complex. DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,500-5,540 yuan ($851-858) per tonne, up by 60-70 yuan from 5,430-5,480 yuan per tonne. The most-traded HRC contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange gained more than 1% to end the day at 5,494 yuan per t...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices increased on Monday July 5 amid higher trading activity and stronger futures prices.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,870-4,900 yuan ($754-759) per tonne, up by 40 yuan per tonneMarket participants expect steel production to drop in the second half of this year to meet a target set late last year by the Chinese Ministry of Industry & Information Technology (MIIT).Th...Read More

Base metals, iron ore, rebar and precious metal prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were up across the board this morning, Monday July 5, with all the base metals, apart from lead, also higher on the London Metal Exchange.Markets taking comfort from Friday's US employment report. Markets likely to be quiet with the United States celebrating Sunday's Independence DayBase metalsLME three-month l...Read More

Tantalum concentrate continues to gain price support amid pressing demand for consumer electronics goods and the global extent of shipping delays, which have incentivized primary tantalum producers in Central Africa to raise their output over the past month, Fastmarkets heard on Monday July 5.Fastmarkets assessed the price of tantalite, basis 25% min Ta2O5, cif China, at $87-90 per lb on June 2, i...Read More

The Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbtrade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam,...Read More

The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb at 23.60-24.25 on...Read More

Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in China on Friday July 2.Key drivers The Germanium price in China ticked up on Friday July 2 amid firm offer prices from producers, with sources reporting that downstream buyers, who had hand-to-mouth demand, were gradually accepting the rising prices....Read More

Key data from the Friday July 2 pricing session in China.Key driversChina's spot domestic cobalt metal price maintained its upward momentum on Friday July 2, driven by continuing bullish sentiment and rising local future prices. Sellers succeeded in concluding small-volume deals at higher levels because some buyers with immediate needs started to restock to avoid further price increases.The rising...Read More

Stainless steel prices continue to register new highs around the end of the first half of 2021 and steelmakers continue to enjoy outsized margins.They have responded in recent months by increasing their output, which has now pushed above pre-pandemic levels and will eventually restore balance to the market.For now, though, supply gaps are still being filled and buyers find themselves competing aga...Read More

French-based uranium miner and nuclear fuels services provider Orano says it has bagged several new uranium mining and front-end services contracts worth more than US$450 million (?,?380 million).The company reports increased demand for its mining activities and activities in the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle from its electricity utility customers, particularly in the United States, Europe a...Read More