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.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 are ready to view.There has been an increasing bullishness in Chinese steel market sentiment recently, with rising post-Covid-19 optimism about the country's economy for the second half of 2020, especially after the government announced an infrastructure spending boost. Although we believe that high prices are justified, they remain far from...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This year has come with several unexpected events which increased the bullish case for iron ore prices, while the Chinese government's spending on infrastructure is likely to boost iron ore demand and add upside support to prices. But supply disruptions and a demand surge which caused price spikes are now easing. We do not e...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
Base metals prices and equity markets were for the most part firmer on Monday September 14, and the common theme seems to be higher hopes for Covid-19 vaccines.Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said it has resumed phase three clinical trials, China stated that it was close to a viable vaccine too and drugmaker Pfizer said a vaccine could be distributed in the United States by the end of the year....Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 38 points in pre-opening trade. Strength in index futures was influenced by a series of mega-takeover offers.Gilead slipped $0.60 to $64.30 and Immunomedics jumped $44.87 to $87.12 after Gilead offered to acquire Immunomedics for $88 per share cash. Value of the offer is $21 billion.Oracle gained $5.56 to an all-time h...Read More
Despite broad stability in global zinc premiums this week, and a sharp drop in the metal's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange, an opening of the import arbitrage window for material delivered into China sparked expectations for improved demand in the region.Zinc markets in the United States and Europe were also generally stagnant this week, while a steady recovery in the US economy fue...Read More
Aluminium primary foundry alloy premiums in Germany and Eastern Europe rose for a second consecutive month on Friday September 11, with stronger fundamentals supporting the increase.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium primary foundry alloy silicon 7 ingot premium, ddp Germany and the aluminium primary foundry alloy silicon 7 ingot premium, ddp Eastern Europe at $300-330 per tonne, with both up from...Read More
All three-month London Metal Exchange prices, apart from aluminium, posted gains on Friday September 11.Copper, lead, zinc, lead and tin all trended upwards over the day on Friday, with the three-month copper price breaching the $6,700 per tonne mark to close at $6,713.50 per tonne after trading a little more than 13,680 lots.There are 75,550 tonnes of copper stocks across LME-registered ware...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ended Friday September 11.China The upward momentum in the domestic market continued for a third week, with prices moving up by 100 yuan ($15) per tonne amid buoyant sentiment after major steel mills raised their tender prices. Hesteel set its September tender price for 72% ferro-silicon at 6,050 yuan...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ended Friday September 11.China The seaborne price of low-grade ore rose after October-delivery cargoes were concluded at higher offer prices, with some producers reporting strong buying appetite.The seaborne price of high-grade ore was stable, with no new offers reported and miners already reportedly sold...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) rebounded in the week ending September 11, rising from an all-time low due to the improved spot availability of copper materials.TC/RCs fell to record lows in the week to September 4.Smelter purchases were mostly settled at high $40s/4 cents with very few parcels transacted at a TC level below or above that.On the mine-trade...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Aluminium primary foundry alloy premiums in Germany and Eastern Europe rose for a second consecutive month on Friday September 11, with stronger fundamentals supporting the increase.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium primary foundry alloy silicon 7 ingot premium, ddp Germany and the aluminium primary foundry alloy silicon 7 ingot premium, ddp Eastern Europe at $300-330 per tonne, with both up from...Read More
Turkish steel mills stepped out of the market for imports of steel scrap in recent days following a spate of buying in the first half of the week to Friday September 11, while scrap prices in Southeast and East Asia have continued their climb.Turkey goes quiet after latest seven-cargo buying spreeUS export markets inch up following Turkish dealsVietnamese scrap prices increase after Japan auction...Read More
The UK market for deliveries of steel scrap to domestic consumers has risen in September, adding ?10 ($13) per tonne to the earlier ?15 per tonne rise in August, with major shredders competing for scarcer material with smaller scrap suppliers, industry sources said this week.Moreover, a steady rate of export business to deep-sea destinations such as Turkey and the Indian sub-continent has also h...Read More