The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Prices across most ferro-alloy markets trended stable to lower in August as demand remained subdued in major markets, apart from China where steel output continues to rise at a rapid pace, supporting demand for ferro-alloys. As alloy makers seek to remedy supply/demand imbalan...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Numerous ore and alloy markets enjoyed upward pricing momentum in the first half 2020, with supply-side constraints supporting prices despite collapsing demand from steelmakers and other key end users. While supply side issues related to Covid-19 lockdowns have been resolved,...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Chinese blast furnace (BF) utilization rates have stagnated and iron ore port stock volumes are rising, reaching their highest levels since March, which suggests that iron ore supply is becoming excessive while demand is not growing. Unsurprisingly, prices dropped last week and we expect the trend to continue. The market has...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.We do not consider the average iron ore fines price for September so far above $125 per tonne cfr Qingdao to be sustainable. The bullishness is not likely to last in the long term as we expect Chinese demand growth to slow down. A key factor boosting Chinese steel demand so far has been the stimulus policies from the authori...Read More
The takeaways from the latest edition of the Steel Raw Materials Market Tracker are ready to view.Iron ore prices remained relatively stable last week, signalling an end to the price spike. And for the first time since March, at the time of the Covid-19 lock-down in Hubei, we have seen a consistent downturn in utilization rates in China. Blast furnace utilization rates dropped for a fifth consecut...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.In the year 2020 to date in late August, the Fastmarkets 62% Fe iron ore benchmark has powered along and reached six-year highs, supported by Chinese demand, and despite the global economic uncertainty created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Iron ore demand has weakened almost everywhere except in China, where it has continued to...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Having found it easier to increase prices than their counterparts in Europe and the United States during the past few months, Asian stainless steelmakers now face a number of concerns.In the short term, Asian prices have moved down in recent weeks while those in Europe and the US are on the up. This is mostly a reflection of...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view. A look at stainless steel price movements through August reveals the ongoing battle being faced by stainless steelmakers in Europe and the United States while they try to pass on rising costs to consumers. In these regions, prices on most grades of stainless steel are little changed from July, rising by around 2% at most -...Read More
The latest forecast from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.As we enter the summer season across the northern hemisphere, almost half a year has passed since the Covid-19 pandemic began to seriously affect Europe and the United States.One would not really be able to tell that such a dramatic event had occurred by looking at stainless steel prices, however, because they are more or less...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe increased further week on week on Wednesday October 7, driven by long lead times from domestic mills and a lack of import offers, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?,?497.50 ($585.83) per tonne on Wednesday, up by ?,?1.04 per tonne from ?,?496.46 per tonne on Oc...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday October 7.Please click...Read More
Brazilian aluminium producer Companhia Brasileira de Alum?-nio (CBA) will continue to seek "green funding" alternatives after securing 500 million Reais ($90 million) this year to develop sustainability projects and offer more low-carbon metal, company executives said on Monday October 5.At the same time, the company was cautious about the recent demand recovery in the domestic market from lows se...Read More
Muted spot activity kept lead and zinc premiums flat globally in the week to Tuesday October 6, while a dip in the London Metal Exchange base price failed to spur any additional buying. US zinc market engaged in annual benchmark talks for 2021. Spot buying in Taiwan was minimal during a short working week; Shanghai market closed for China's Golden Week holiday. Global premiums stagnant i...Read More
Approximately $1.64 billion worth of copper tube and pipe exports from Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia over the past few years could face India's countervailing duty after the government launched an anti-dumping investigation, Fastmarkets understands. Directorate General of Trade Remedies, under India's commerce ministry, received a complaint from industry body Bombay Metal Exchange (BME) that a si...Read More
Fastmarkets opened a consultation on September 4, 2020, inviting feedback on its non-ferrous methodology in line with our annual methodology review process. The consultation sought to ensure that our methodology continues to reflect the physical market in base metals, minor metals, ores and alloys. This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication fre...Read More
Brazilian vehicle production fell by 11% in September 2020 compared with the corresponding month a year before, with producers increasing supply from April lows at a slow pace in order to prevent inventories from rising too much, carmakers' association Anfavea said on Wednesday October 7.The country made 220,162 vehicles last month, down from 247,455 units reported in September 2019. But output wa...Read More
Demand for steel billet in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region early in the week that began on Monday October 5 supported billet sellers in the CIS region, which have been faced with a lack of trading activity in most outlets recently.Customers in the Middle East-North Africa (Mena) region and Asia have adopted a wait-and-see position over the past seven days amid uncertainty about the price...Read More
Hollow steel sections prices in Europe moved up further this week while mills continue to pass on higher feedstock costs, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 7.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?590-620 per tonne ($695-730) on Wednesday, up from ?,?580-590 per tonne one week previous.The price of hot-rolled coil, t...Read More
The low end of the steel H-beam price ranges in Europe moved up this week on positive producer sentiment after recent price increase announcements, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 7. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?540-570 per tonne ($636-671) on Wednesday, narrowing on the low end from ?,?530-570 per tonne one wee...Read More
Domestic steel rebar prices in Europe were largely rangebound in the week to Wednesday October 7, with market participants saying they believe prices have reached a top in both the north and south of the region.Northern Europe Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?470-480 ($553-565) per tonne on Wednesday, widening d...Read More