Prices in the United States for imported hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil and galvanized steel dropped, with foreign producers finding that they can profit if they underbid domestic mills and gain market share in the lucrative US market."The price gap between US and international prices is widening, and more and more foreign mills are interested in the US market, even from the [European Union],"...Read More
Low generation of Shindachi busheling is forcing some Japanese blast furnace (BF)-based mills to procure more shredded scrap instead of the high-grade new production material, sources told Fastmarkets.Japanese BF steelmakers have ramped up their intake of steel scrap this year in line with stronger production levels and ambitious targets on CO2 reduction.Japanese steel production totaled 7.9 milli...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 29 that are worth another look....Read More
Turkish billet export and import prices have slipped over the week to Thursday September 30 in line with limited demand, market participants said.Suppliers in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) continued to offer billet to Turkey at $620-630 per tonne cfr, but Turkish buyers were not interested in billet imports.Some sources said they believe the workable price for CIS billet will only b...Read More
Nickel's three-month price was at its lowest since late June on the afternoon of September 30; all other London Metal Exchange prices were down across the board by 2-4%."Commodities are being pressured by a surge in the dollar, coupled with supply chain pressures that are having a growing impact on demand, particularly out of China where power has become the latest bottleneck," ED&F Man's head of...Read More
Base metals prices were mostly slightly up on the LME but weaker on the SHFE this morning, Thursday September 30, but overall the markets seem to be consolidating while they await big-picture developments.China's power rationing weighs on the official manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI)The Thursday economic agenda is busyUS dollar rallying stronglyBase metalsAfter price weakness on Wedne...Read More
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investors should be reducing exposure to plug-in hybrid- and fuel cell-weighted automotive supply chains and focusing instead on battery electric vehicles (BEV), according to a report by Jefferies. Ford's recent announcement of record-setting investment in electric vehicles (EVs) gives a clear signal to the market: BEVs are the future, with hybrids a...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 30 that are worth another look.Temporary steel export duties in Russia, which have been in effect since August 1, have not impacted export volumes significantly so far, sources have told Fastmarkets.Australia-based mining company South32 have announced...Read More
China is stepping up measures to ensure there is enough electricity supply for heavy industries amid ongoing power restrictions in various parts of the country.The National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) will look into allowing more thermal coal imports and higher domestic production of the raw material to increase electricity generation rates, a spokesman for the commission said at a pres...Read More
Steel beam prices rose in the United States' domestic and import markets on Thursday September 30 in response to a third round of mill increases. Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for steel beams 8- x 8-in, fob mill US rose to $68 per hundredweight ($1,360 per short ton) on Thursday September 30, up 3.82% from $65.50 per cwt on August 26, and up 7.94% from $63 per cwt on July 29.Fastmarkets' as...Read More
The European market for steel hot-rolled coil remained quiet on Thursday September 30, with buyers continuing to hold back from trading in expectation of more substantial price declines amid slower end-user demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers in Europe have been waiting for the new quota period to begin on October 1before assessing the "real volumes that will enter the market," they said."The...Read More
Australia-based mining company South32 have announced that they have exercised their pre-emptive rights to acquire an additional 25% shareholding in Mozal Aluminium from MCA Metals Holding GmbH (Mitsubishi) in a public notice released on Thursday September 30.Mozal Aluminium, a primary aluminium smelter located in Mozambique, is currently joint owned by South32 (47.1%), Mitsubishi (25%), the IDC (...Read More
Local rebar prices in Egypt remained stable in the week to Thursday September 30, supported by ample demand from government projects, sources told Fastmarkets."Demand is good for the second consecutive month, driven by state projects in infrastructure and housing sectors," a local steelmaker told Fastmarkets.For example, domestic rebar consumption in August was 720,000 tonnes in Egypt, up by 76.7%...Read More
Deliverable stocks of base metals in Shanghai Futures Exchange-registered warehouse broadly declined in the week to Thursday September 30, with tin recording the biggest fall and aluminium being the lone riser.Tin totalled 1,272 tonnes this week, down by 279 tonnes (18.0%) from 1,551 tonnes a week before. The largest outflow was from Quansheng Logistics Caoan warehouse in Shanghai, where volumes w...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States edged back above $98 per hundredweight ($1,960 per short ton), with market participants at odds over whether the steel rally is about to run out of steam.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $98.08 per cwt ($1,961.60 per ton) on Thursday September 30, up by 0.16% from $97.92 per cwt on Wednesday September 29 and u...Read More
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investors should be reducing exposure to plug-in hybrid- and fuel cell-weighted automotive supply chains and focusing instead on battery electric vehicles (BEV), according to a report by Jefferies. Ford's recent announcement of record-setting investment in electric vehicles (EVs) gives a clear signal to the market: BEVs are the future, with hybrids a...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday September 30 that are worth another look.Temporary steel export duties in Russia, which have been in effect since August 1, have not impacted export volumes significantly so far, sources have told Fastmarkets.Australia-based mining company South32 have announced...Read More
Nickel's three-month price was at its lowest since late June on the afternoon of September 30; all other London Metal Exchange prices were down across the board by 2-4%."Commodities are being pressured by a surge in the dollar, coupled with supply chain pressures that are having a growing impact on demand, particularly out of China where power has become the latest bottleneck," ED&F Man's head of...Read More
China is stepping up measures to ensure there is enough electricity supply for heavy industries amid ongoing power restrictions in various parts of the country.The National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) will look into allowing more thermal coal imports and higher domestic production of the raw material to increase electricity generation rates, a spokesman for the commission said at a pres...Read More
The suspension of activity in the vicinity of the Xingu dam in Vale's Mariana iron ore complex has been partially revoked, allowing the associated railway to resume activities, the Brazilian company said on Thursday September 30.The Regional Labor Superintendence (SRT) had issued an order to partly reverse the suspension of operations to allow the resumption of transportation along the Vit??ria-Mi...Read More