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
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
The three-month copper contract is trading near record highs on the London Metal Exchange, cash prices are rising even faster, and inventories are descending toward zero. Try running a hedge book in those conditions.It's been a very real quandary facing the physical trade and industry, which awoke on Tuesday October 19 to find copper's cash to November spread had flared to a backwardation of more...Read More
The spot price for spodumene concentrate ticked up due to tight availability of the raw material, while downstream global lithium prices continued to post steady gains in October after China's National Day holiday (October 1-7).Fastmarkets' assessment for spodumene 6% Li2O min, cif China basis was $2,100-2,500 per tonne on Thursday October 28, narrowing upward by $100 per tonne from $2,000-2,...Read More
The CIS export slab market was quiet in the week to Monday November 1 because most mills were absent from the market.No fresh offers were heard from Russian suppliers in the Black Sea basin, while local sources reported that the country is on lockdown until November 7, reducing trading activity.In the Far East...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
Market participants in the European Union expressed uncertainty on how the flow of European-produced aluminium to the United States will be impacted by a deal to between the US and EU to replace Section 232 import tariffs with a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system."The news is still fresh and it is not clear yet what it means for the market," one European trader told Fastmarkets."On the European side,...Read More
Japanese imports of aluminium rose by 24.9% in August from the prior month, according to data released by the Japan Aluminium Association. Japan imported 250,700 tonnes of aluminium in August, an increase of 50,000 tonnes from July and 104,000 tonnes more than that in August 2020. July's volume of 200,700 tonnes marked a nine-month low.Imports include unwrought and wrought aluminium and aluminium...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday November 1 that are worth another look....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 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...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices dropped on Monday November 1 after the release of a lower steel industry purchasing managers' index.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,120-5,150 yuan ($799-804) per tonne, down by 100 yuan per tonneThe PMI for the steel industry was 38.3 points in October, down by 6.7 points from September, according to the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing's Steel Logistic...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices dropped on Monday November 1 after the release of a lower steel industry purchasing managers' index.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,120-5,150 yuan ($799-804) per tonne, down by 100 yuan per tonneThe PMI for the steel industry was 38.3 points in October, down by 6.7 points from September, according to the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing's Steel Logistic...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
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
China's domestic rebar prices dropped on Monday November 1 after the release of a lower steel industry purchasing managers' index.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,120-5,150 yuan ($799-804) per tonne, down by 100 yuan per tonneThe PMI for the steel industry was 38.3 points in October, down by 6.7 points from September, according to the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing's Steel Logistic...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
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
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday November 1 that are worth another look....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