Long and flat-rolled steel producer Gerdau expects demand to continue to grow in 2022, after a rapid recovery of the local market this year from the lows of 2020 that were caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Brazil-based company said on Wednesday October 27.Brazilian steel consumption was likely to rise by 4-6% next year from 2021 levels, chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said in conference...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,...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday October 27.Please click...Read More
A summary of the financial results for Turkey's largest steelmaking group, Erdemir, for January-September 2021.In brief?EUR? Erdemir Group produced 6.815 million tonnes of crude steel over the first nine months of 2021, equivalent to 23% of the national total.?EUR? The group's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) increased year-on-year by 291.98% in January-Septe...Read More
Active buying interest, limited offers from mills and export sales activity - because of the imminent expiry of a temporary export duty - pushed flat steel prices in the Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow up again in the week to Monday October 25, sources have told Fastmarkets.But the upward price trend may not be sustainable because of the usual low season during winter, some market...Read More
The price of steel hollow sections in Europe was unchanged on Wednesday October 27, with the market looking to recoup recent losses, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?1,230-1,275 ($1,427-1,479) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.Market sources believed that hollow sections prices had reac...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 14 points in pre-opening trade. Trading volume was relatively quiet this morning prior to release of annualized third quarter real GDP at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus is growth at a 2.8% rate versus growth at a 6.7% in the second quarter. Ford added $1.36 to $16.87 after reporting higher than consensus third quarter results....Read More
Trading activity in the European hot-rolled coil market was slow on Wednesday October 27, but mills are likely to seek price rise due to increasing production costs, sources told Fastmarkets. Buyers and sellers have been holding back from trading until a trend becomes clear, they added. Demand, however, has started to gradually improve due to distributors re-stocking for the first quarter of next...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday October 27Key drivers?EUR? As of Wednesday October 27, European ferro-titanium suppliers have held their offer prices steady for the second consecutive week. This came amid subdued trading activity ahead of Fastmarkets' annual conference scheduled for next month in Prague.?EUR? Suppliers expected prices to be stable until that confe...Read More
The United States' imports of finished steel products increased moderately month on month but ballooned year on year in September, with most tracked commodities showing gains.A total of 2.94 million tonnes of steel imports arrived in September, up by 16.70% from the final tally of 2.52 million tonnes in August and up by 156.45% from 1.15 million tonnes in September 2020, according to prelimin...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were down across the board at the 5pm close of trading on Wednesday October 27, following a further drop in coal prices and widespread selling."Today's news that [China's] National Development & Reform Commission has set the price of thermal and coking coal at levels [that will reduce] key input prices for energy-intensive metals - pertinent to alumi...Read More
Prices for aluminium P1020A cargoes offered into China have come down from multi-year highs because of a marked decline in demand, an uncertain near-term outlook and the closure of the London-Shanghai arbitrage window, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday October 27.Fastmarkets' latest monthly assessment of the aluminium P1020A premium, cif Shanghai, was $130-140 per tonne on Tuesday, down from a six-ye...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:US prices for hot-rolled coil moved in line with our forecasts in August, averaging $1,910 per ton, within 1% accuracy of our forecast of $1,925 per ton. The market has achieved much-needed stability in recent weeks, with prices fluctuating in the range of $1,900-1,94...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were down across the board at the 5pm close of trading on Wednesday October 27, following a further drop in coal prices and widespread selling."Today's news that [China's] National Development & Reform Commission has set the price of thermal and coking coal at levels [that will reduce] key input prices for energy-intensive metals - pertinent to alumi...Read More
The nickel briquette premium in the United States surged by 10% this week amid supply tightness while those in China also rallied amid a favorable arbitrage.?EUR? US briquette premiums hit all-time high?EUR? Chinese premiums rally to 2-year high?EUR? European premiums stableNew peaks for both US premiumsHaving been flat for many weeks, nickel premiums in the US rose to new all-time highs.The two p...Read More
The low-carbon ferro-chrome market in Europe leapt over the two weeks to Tuesday October 26 to a multi-year high due to extremely tight availability, with some sellers not offering on the spot market and consumers scrambling to find material.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome 0.10% C, average 65-70% Cr, delivered Europe was $3.43-3.75 per lb Cr on October 26, up by 38-50 cents (13.97%)...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday October 27 that are worth another look.Long and flat-rolled steel producer Gerdau expects demand to continue to grow in 2022, after a rapid recovery of the local market this year from the lows of 2020 that were caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the...Read More
European steel companies must scale up their decarbonization technologies within the coming decade or risk exhausting their allocated emissions allowances early, according to a report released on Tuesday September 14.The report, "Steeling for Net Zero," by climate researcher Industry Tracker, found that selected European steel companies have less than 26% of their carbon budget remaining and must...Read More
Guidance for China to achieve its carbon emissions peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 was jointly released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Sunday October 24.The guidance specifies that by the year 2025, China's energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product will be reduced by 13.5% from 2020 levels, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per...Read More
A decision by the European Union on the future of the bloc's scrap metal export trade, which is worth billions of euros per year, could come as early as December this year, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference in Brussels heard on Tuesday October 26.The recycling industry is facing tremendous challenges, panelists said. The EU has proposed restrictions on the export of "waste" ma...Read More