Fastmarkets' Steel Success Strategies Online event started on Monday October 26. Here are four things that we learnt during the European Steel Panel on the first day of the forum.Carbon barriers are inevitableThe European steel industry has been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with a number of steelmakers cutting their output, shutting down capacity or both. Even though major steelmaker...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Approaching the end of the calendar year, steelmakers and consumers enter a busy period of contract negotiations for supply for 2021 or at least the first quarter or half year.With the sharp increases in spot market steel prices during recent months, steelmakers are understandably looking to take advantage and secure higher c...Read More
Several large steel projects located in Southeast Asia, underpinned by Chinese investment, are nearing completion and will provide a huge boost to production capacity in the region. Of the 59.9 million tonnes of major carbon steel production capacity planned to come on stream in the next decade in Southeast Asia, 39.4 million tonnes will come from Chinese-led projects, according to statistics from...Read More
Turkish steel mills booked further scrap cargoes in the deep-sea market on Tuesday October 27, adding to the six heard on the market the day before, sources have told Fastmarkets.A batch of newly booked cargoes came to light on Monday, and on Tuesday another handful of fresh trades were heard.A US-origin cargo was booked by a mill in the Iskenderun region, comprising unknown tonnages of HMS 1&2 (8...Read More
Iron ore prices in the futures and seaborne markets rebounded on Tuesday October 27, with the increase in coke prices and drop in iron ore shipments supporting the sentiment recovery in the raw materials markets and helping iron ore prices to rise slightly, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $115.13 per tonne, up $0.50 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingda...Read More
The seaborne premium hard coking coal price in the fob Australia market rose on Tuesday October 27 amid strong trade on a trading platform, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $115.78 per tonne, up $8.04 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $119.83 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $95.77 per tonne, up $0.25 per tonne Hard coking coal, cfr...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were firmer this morning, Tuesday October 27, despite some strong headwinds from little progress on the next US Covid-19 relief package and surging infection rates across Europe and the United Sates. Major western equity index futures rebounding after Monday's weaknessExpect increased volatility in the run-up to the US presidential electionBase metal...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Prices for most ferro-alloys maintained their upward momentum into October, solidifying previous gains and reflecting the improved demand from steelmakers, the rebuilding of depleted inventories, and the supply-side concerns following both planned and unplanned outages. Gains were noted for ferro-silicon, silicon metal, mang...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...Read More
The cobalt alloy 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...Read More
A summary of China's battery raw materials imports for September 2020.In brief Cobalt metal imports dropped in September from the prior month but volumes remained at a comparatively high level due to increased buying interest early in the third quarter, driven by decent import profits owing to the premium held by Chinese domestic cobalt metal over European material. This premium narrowed late in t...Read More
A summary of China's battery raw materials exports for September 2020.In brief Chinese cobalt tetroxide exports continued to rise on a monthly basis amid a recovery in industrial activity in ex-China markets and an increase in remote working, which has led to a bump in demand for consumer electronics. China's lithium carbonate exports fell in September on reduced demand as a result of buyers slowi...Read More
A summary of China's minor metals exports for September 2020.In brief Higher domestic prices stifled Chinese exporters' interest in shipping their indium cargoes abroad during the month. Overseas demand for silicon increased due to the strengthened downstream aluminum ingot ADC 12 market amid the...Read More
The Indian silico-manganese export market will come under pressure in the near term because of slow demand and falling manganese ore markets, Fastmarkets heard on Tuesday October 27.The market has been softening in recent weeks although it was now back at a level last seen on August 14.Fastmarkets' most recent price assessment for silico-manganese, 65% Mn min, min 16% Si, fob India, was $860-890 p...Read More
A summary of Spanish stainless steelmaker Acerinox's financial results for the third quarter of 2020 ended on September 30. In brief Group (stainless steel plus high performance materials) melt shop production in the third quarter of 2020 increased by 21% quarter on quarter, with profits recorded in the period following a loss-making second quarter. Conversely, sales decreased in the r...Read More
The discount paid for ferro-nickel with 26-32% nickel content in China increased slightly in October, with quiet spot trading reported, sources told Fastmarkets this week.Fastmarkets assessed the ferro-nickel premium/discount, 26-32% Ni contained, cif China at $900-1,300 per tonne on Monday October 26, compared with a discount of $1,000-1,300 per tonne on September 28.Spot trading was...Read More
Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were for the main part firmer this morning, Wednesday October 28, this despite early weakness in major western equity index futures that were suffering because parts of Europe look set to escalate lockdown measures.* France is reportedly contemplating a one-month nationwide lockdown* Nickel prices surge as a nickel...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were sharply lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 52 points in pre-opening trade.This morning Bank of Canada is scheduled to release on update on the Canadian economy. No change in its 0.25% lending rate charged to major Canadian banks is anticipated.Microsoft slipped $0.41 to $212.84 despite reporting higher than consensus third quarter sales and earnings.Un...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday October 26 that are worth another look.Major iron ore miners are racing to boost their output amid recovering demand and ahead of traditional mid-financial year reporting due by December, market sources told Fastmarkets this week.Uncertainty about next year's aluminium fundamentals and consumer hesitance...Read More
The three-month price of tin on the London Metal Exchange was the laggard at the close of trading on Monday October 26, losing just under 2% of its price against the highest daily volume count since September 23, while selling pressure saw the LME copper price sink below nearby support levels over the afternoon.Tin's outright price on the LME closed at $18,050 per tonne on Monday, recovering from...Read More