The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Bulk and noble alloys both moved largely in line with our price forecasts globally over the past month, though several markets surprised to the upside, exceeding our forecast gains. Stronger-than-forecast pricing momentum was primarily triggered by supply shortages in numerous...Read More
Mining and metals companies say they're serious about transitioning to a sustainable economy, but whether they can afford to is another matter.Achieving decarbonization throughout the supply chain is going to require a huge amount of investment in technology to reimagine production processes and redesign existing sites.Last week, the International Aluminium Institute estimated that to decarbonize...Read More
Prices in the Commonwealth of Independent States' export long steel market continued to grow in the week to Monday November 1, mainly due to higher offers from Ukraine because the country still has most of its quota allocation available for the fourth quarter in Europe.Meanwhile, Russian suppliers have almost fulfilled up their rebar quota and their wire rod quota has been completely exhausted.&nb...Read More
The three-month aluminium price gained $3 to $2,719.50 per tonne from $2,716.50 per tonne at Friday's 5pm close. Volumes came off, with around 13,530 lots traded versus last week's average of 28,471 lots."Lackluster buying is still evident because high freight costs and persistent logistics constraints mean that consumers are likely...Read More
EN+ group IPJSC and SUAL Partners Limited, the two largest shareholders of aluminium producer UC Rusal, announced their joint support for de-mergering Rusal's high-carbon businesses.Rusal announced in May it intended to pursue a demerger of its higher-carbon assets via the creation of two different businesses with separate strategies.The announcement said the demerger is still awaiting further dec...Read More
The carbon footprint of finished nickel produced at Vale's Long Harbour processing plant, in the Canadian eastern Newfoundland and Labrador province, has been certified to be significantly below the global average, the Brazilian company said on Monday November 1.This grants Vale an advantage in supplying North American and European markets with low-carbon nickel for the next generation of electric...Read More
Shanghai bonded copper and zinc stocks modestly declined in October due to unfavorable market conditions for imports, while aluminium stocks were flat and nickel stocks registered the biggest gain. Decline of copper stocks slows in October Shanghai bonded copper stocks continued to fall in October - by 13.5% on a monthly basis. Stocks fell by 26.7% in September. Fastmarkets assessed Shanghai bon...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were little changed on the morning of Monday November 1 compared with their month-end figures from last Friday, with Chinese data pointing to a slowdown in its economy and a strong US Dollar index capping price moves. The official purchasing managers' index (PMI) readings from China over the weekend showed the manufacturing PMI fell to 49.2 in Octobe...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices were little changed in Europe on Monday November 1 reflecting a lack of trading activity, but market sources are optimistic about the market's prospects, they told Fastmarkets.Trading activity in the spot HRC market remained slow, mainly because European mills were busy negotiating long-term contracts with end users for next year.Producers are hopeful of substantial increase...Read More
Some coated-steel coil producers in Turkey decreased their prices but demand was weak during the week ending Monday November 1, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand for coated coil was moderate to weak in the country because buyers wanted to see what direction prices would take, sources said.Domestic pricesFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HDG coil domestic, exw Turkey was $1,280-1,35...Read More
The Commonwealth of Independent States' export prices for hot-rolled coil increased during the week ended Monday November 1, but market activity was weak, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $870-880 per tonne on November 1, rising from $850-870 per tonne on October 25.Offers from Ukraine to Turkey were at $900-910...Read More
Most flat steel prices continued to increase in Turkey during the week ending Monday November 1, but future price moves remain uncertain because of decreasing prices in China and weak demand in the Turkish local market, sources told Fastmarkets.Hot-rolled coil prices in China have been decreasing, which may affect global prices.Local demand for flat steel was also weak because most buyers placed t...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil increased across the European Union during the week to Friday October 29, despite limited trading activity in the spot market.European steelmakers have been focused on settling long-term agreements with big buyers, such as the automotive and white goods sectors. As a result, they have not been active in the spot market.At the end of last week, ArcelorMittal anno...Read More
Turkish steel producers were quiet in the deep-sea scrap markets on Monday November 1, following the national holiday period in the country, market sources said.The most recent cargo deal was recorded last Tuesday, when a steel mill in the Marmara region booked a cargo from the United States comprising 20,000 tonnes of heavy melting scrap 1&2 (90:10) and 10,000 tonnes of shredded at an average pri...Read More
Previously stranded Australian coking coal has started to affect the seaborne coking coal cfr price; seaborne prices in the fob market were relatively stable, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $600.25 per tonne, down by $7.87 per tonneHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $525.23 per tonne, down by $19.65 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $...Read More
Iron ore prices dropped on Monday November 1 due to increasing port inventory in China and the country's weakening manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) in October, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $103.43 per tonne, down $3.85 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $104.66 per tonne, down $4.91 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qing...Read More
After a consultation period, Fastmarkets has liberalized the criteria for deals to be included in the calculations for the steel scrap month-to-date deal weighted average price, cfr Turkey.Previously, Fastmarkets' MB-STE-0894 steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), month-to-date deal-weighted average, North Europe origin, cfr Turkey only included deals that were classified as confirmed, which means that...Read More
Fastmarkets is increasing the frequency of iron ore value-in-use indices from weekly to daily from Monday November 1.Following a consultation during which favorable feedback was received, Fastmarkets is increasing the frequency of iron ore value-in-use indices from weekly to daily. Fastmarkets' iron ore value-in-use indices will be calculated and updated every Monday based on a regression analysis...Read More
Prices for seaborne iron ore concentrate and pellets fell in the week ended Friday October 29 amid a narrowing of margins among steelmakers in China, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 66% Fe concentrate, cfr Qingdao: $137.48 per tonne, down $10.10 per tonne.65% Fe blast furnace pellet, cfr Qingdao: $182.04 per tonne, down $9.37 per tonne.Iron ore pellet premium over 65% Fe fines, cfr China...Read More
Spot prices for hot-rolled coil in China continued to fall on Monday November 1, with market sentiment subdued by continued declines in coal futures prices and weak economic data.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,230-5,300 yuan ($817-828) per tonne, down by 40-100 yuan per tonneSpot HRC prices in the domestic market slipped to their lowest since May 26 on Monday, while the most-traded HRC contra...Read More