An overview of the chrome ore and alloy markets and their latest price moves.Europe The market for high-carbon material was stable, with a broad range of prices still being reported, although transaction volumes were relatively low. Many market participants had begun negotiations for long contracts for 2021, with participants reporting...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday October 6 that are worth another look.Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe increased day on day on October 6, despite buyers holding back from making new deals, sources told Fastmarkets.Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world's largest brewer, has...Read More
The recovery in manganese alloys prices in Europe in the past week or two may have limited space to move higher in the near term due to depressed end-user steel demand in the automotive and construction sectors, according to trade sources and available industry data. Until the past week or two, manganese alloys prices in Europe had been trending downward since late April due to the effects that na...Read More
London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices continued to consolidate at the close on Tuesday October 6, with China's absence during the regional Golden Week holiday being felt, with the complex somewhat directionless as a result.LME futures prices, with the exception of aluminium and nickel, retraced previous gains in the afternoon trading session in anticipation of China's return to the...Read More
Seaborne hard coking coal prices fob Australia dipped day on day on Tuesday October 6 in the run-up to the conclusion of a tender that some market participants say they expect will fetch lower prices.Fastmarkets indices Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $137.46 per tonne, down $0.25 per tonne. Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $145.10 per tonne, unchanged. Hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $113....Read More
The three-month nickel price on the LME was higher during morning trade on Tuesday October 6, despite thin turnover, while the fresh cancellation of nearly 70,000 tonnes of aluminium failed to push the light metal's price above nearby resistance. Nickel's outright price on the London Metal Exchange was recently seen at $14,690 per tonne, climbing more than 1% from Monday's closing price of $14,644...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Although we correctly forecast a significant rise in hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices in the United States in September 2020, our price forecast proved too conservative.An impressive V-shaped recovery in key economic fundamentals critical to steel consumption is driving stronger demand for steel at the start of the fourth quarte...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Across the regions, producers of welded linepipe and oil-country tubular goods (OCTG) saw their margins shrink with substrate costs increasing in the third quarter of 2020.Many have been attempting to protect margins with higher prices, with varying degrees of success. Europe-origin commodity-grade steel hot-rolled coil and...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloys forecast highlights:Prices across most ore and alloy markets trended higher in September, buoyed by improving demand from steelmakers with the end of the summer holiday season in Europe and the United States, as well as maintained demand from Chinese steel mills. Tightening of alloy inventories...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 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
London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices continued to consolidate at the close on Tuesday October 6, with China's absence during the regional Golden Week holiday being felt, with the complex somewhat directionless as a result.LME futures prices, with the exception of aluminium and nickel, retraced previous gains in the afternoon trading session in anticipation of China's return to the...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Although we correctly forecast a significant rise in hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices in the United States in September 2020, our price forecast proved too conservative.An impressive V-shaped recovery in key economic fundamentals critical to steel consumption is driving stronger demand for steel at the start of the fourth quarte...Read More
The partnership between Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) and Rio Tinto to create beer cans made from low-carbon aluminium is the inaugural step in a broad-based, long-term journey, executives at the two companies said.The venture will focus initially on the North American market and is a first for the canned beverage industry, according to Hudson Moore, global director, metal, at the global procure...Read More
Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world's largest brewer, has teamed up with mining company Rio Tinto in a partnership focused on creating beer cans made from responsibly produced aluminium. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) committing to work with supply chain partners to bring AB InBev products to market in cans made from Rio Tinto's low-carbon aluminium. It me...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the LME was higher during morning trade on Tuesday October 6, despite thin turnover, while the fresh cancellation of nearly 70,000 tonnes of aluminium failed to push the light metal's price above nearby resistance. Nickel's outright price on the London Metal Exchange was recently seen at $14,690 per tonne, climbing more than 1% from Monday's closing price of $14,644...Read More
London-based Amalgamated Metal Trading (AMT), a category I ring-dealing member of the London Metal Exchange, has announced the opening of a new office in Singapore in an effort to develop its non-ferrous, ferrous and precious metals clientele in Southeast Asia and Australasia.The company made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday October 6.The move will see AMT's sister company, Amalgamat...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part firmer this morning, Tuesday October 6, as were Asian-Pacific and pre-market major western equity index futures. US President Donald Trump's return to the White House boosts confidence.Markets have become more risk-on, although gold prices are holding up well too.Base metalsThree-month base metals prices on the LME were for the...Read More
Flat steel import prices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia showed few changes this week, with demand being soft, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 6.Most market participants preferred to wait for developments until China was back from its week-long national day holiday, because resumed demand in the East Asian nation will have an effect on the global steel industry.China will...Read More
The prices for steel rebar imported into the United Arab Emirates have decreased in the past week, with demand being only moderate and domestic prices static, market sources said on Tuesday October 6.Domestic rebarThe country's biggest producer, Emirates Steel, has been offering rebar since September 15 at 1,936 dirhams ($527) per tonne ex-works for orders to be produced in October, while Conares...Read More