A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday September 29. Please click...Read More
The formal consultation process for collective dismissal at Alcoa's San Cipri??n aluminium smelter in Spain has ended without an agreement with the workers' representatives, the producer said on Tuesday September 29.Alcoa now have up to 15 days to determine and announce a decision regarding the smelter's 228,000 metric tonnes of annual capacity. An agreement was previously reached with the workers...Read More
Bolivian zinc-lead producer Minera San Crist??bal has achieved full production after reopening from a 21-day outage in mid-September, the company's owner and operator, Sumitomo, confirmed late on Monday September 28."Minera San Crist??bal started mobilizing on September 14, [resumed operation of] the plant on September 16, and [was] at full production [by] September 18," a spokesperson for Sumitom...Read More
The discount paid for ferro-nickel with 26-32% nickel content in China narrowed to the lowest level in three months due to increased buying interest following the big rise in the Chinese nickel pig iron (NPI) price, sources said. Fastmarkets assessed the ferro-nickel premium/discount, 26-32% Ni contained, cif China at a discount of $1,000-1,300 per tonne on Monday September 28, narrowing by $...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower during morning trading on Tuesday September 29, with a fresh inflow of more than 34,000 tonnes of copper doing little to impact the metal's stagnant price, while tin futures showed fight in a 0.4% uptick. Copper's outright price on the LME was recently trading at $6,559.50 per tonne, dipping 0.5% below Monday's cl...Read More
Prices in the Commonwealth of Independent States' (CIS) export long steel market declined in the week to Monday September 28 on low demand in the majority of end-market outlets as well as generally negative sentiment globally, sources said.In the second half of September, CIS mills tested the market with higher rebar and wire rod offers, referring to the reduced availability of material at some si...Read More
The price of steel rebar and billet imported to the United Arab Emirates fell this week on limited demand, sources said on Tuesday September 29.Domestic rebarSince September 15, the country's biggest producer, Emirates Steel, has been offering rebar at 1,936 dirhams ($527) per tonne ex-works for orders to be produced in October, while Conares Steel is offering rebar at 1,935.27 dirhams ($526....Read More
China's domestic rebar prices were flat on Tuesday September 29 amid a less-than-bullish outlook after the release of a draft plan for autumn-winter steelmaking restrictions.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,620-3,650 yuan ($530-535) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China will restrict steelmakers' production over the next six months to improve air quality during the autumn-winter heating season, ac...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.While steel markets in Asia have demonstrated the most strength with regards to pricing through much of 2020, recent weeks have seen prices in Europe and the United States outperform those elsewhere.In a way, much of this is simply catching up on the gains already made by Asian steelmakers. They were able to obtain higher pri...Read More
Scrap prices in Mexico were unchanged in the week to Friday September 25 and market participants fear prices may have reached a peak after a series of successive increases.Fastmarkets assessed the consumer buying price for No1 busheling, delivered mill Bajio unchanged at 6,450 pesos ($288) per tonne on Tuesday September 29, while that for No1 heavy melt, delivered mill Bajio was...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were up on Tuesday September 29 amid the easing of sintering restrictions in Tangshan over October, trade sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $117.61 per tonne, up $1.46 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $117.89 per tonne, up $1.74 per tonne.58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $108.59 per tonne, up $1.84 per tonne.6...Read More
Seaborne premium hard coking coal prices increased slightly on Tuesday September 29. Demand in India for seaborne materials was good, while most Chinese market participants were awaiting developments in the spot market after the country's Golden Week holiday.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $134.48 per tonne, up by $0.62 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $144.9...Read More
Steel market participants often identify iron ore as the key driver of steel prices because mills typically formulate their pricing strategies based on raw material costs - but this appears to have changed in 2020.While some unique challenges have emerged this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, one development that stood out from the rest is this: Iron ore market participants have attributed the s...Read More
Slight decreases in import prices for steel scrap in Turkey in recent days have stunned market participants in Asia who had expected a larger drop.Turkish mills had avoided purchasing steel scrap in bulk from the United States and Europe for over two weeks before returning to the market last week to buy two Baltic cargoes of heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) at $296 per tonne cfr, down by just $5 pe...Read More
Charles Li, chief executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) will retire early on December 31 this year and take up the role of senior advisor to the board for six months, HKEX said on Tuesday September 29.Li had previously announced that he would not seek a renewal as chief executive at the end of his current contract and was expected to initially leave his role in October 2021."Being c...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed but little changed this morning, Tuesday September 29, while prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were firmer as they caught up with Monday's performance on the LME.Last week's pullbacks have run into dip-buying - hopes for further stimulus are buoying markets.US Congress making progress in talks regarding support measures.Markets might...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 cobalt standard grade,...Read More
The cobalt alloy 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...Read More
Ford Motor Company of Canada will become the country's first manufacturer of all-electric vehicles, starting in 2024, the company said on Monday September 28.Ford will commit C$1.8 billion ($1.35 billion) to repurpose part of its biggest car plant in Canada, the Oakville Assembly Complex, and will introduce a new engine program at another plant, in Windsor. Both are in the Canadian province of Ont...Read More
Stainless steel producer Outokumpu has made changes to its leadership team that will take effect on October 1, with a new company strategy to be announced the following month, the company announced on Tuesday September 29.Newly appointed members of the company's leadership team are: Thomas Anstots, executive vice president, commercial, Europe business area; Stefan Erdmann, chief technology officer...Read More