Imported steel billet prices in Egypt fell in the week to Thursday, August 19, but demand failed to improve, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand for billet imports, however, was weak because of limited demand for the end product, rebar.The Egyptian government ended the ban on construction on July 1.However, rebar demand remained low in Egypt during the week because of decreasing global...Read More
Domestic long steel prices in Turkey have continued to go down over the past week, in line with the falling deep-sea scrap import costs, market participants told Fastmarkets on Thursday August 19.Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices have been falling over the week while the country's producers were limiting their purchases.Fastmarkets' daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), US origin, c...Read More
Iron ore prices continued to fall on Thursday August 19, with sentiment turning negative due to the bearish demand outlook, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $132.66 per tonne,down $20.73 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $133.30 per tonne,down $20.77 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $103.46 per tonne,down $20.02 per tonne65% F...Read More
An overview of the chrome ore and alloy markets in Asia, Europe and the United States on Wednesday August 18, and their latest price movesChina The UG2 chrome ore market lost its upward traction due to falling demand after previous purchasing activity against weakened portside prices and rising inventories at ports. The imported charge chrome market softened amid an absence of liquidity; buyers sh...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 18 that are worth another look.The chief executive officer of steel group Techint, Paolo Rocca, was acquitted of all charges in the "notebooks case," an investigation in Argentina into alleged payments made by the company to government officials in 2008.Read More
Short supply of nickel products in the United States pushed the cut cathode premium up by more than that for briquette in the week to Tuesday August 17, while trade was still subdued in other regions, Fastmarkets has heard.US 4x4 cut cathode premium up by 11.1%Continued arbitrage losses, Covid-19 problems worry Chinese tradersEuropean premiums flat in summer holiday lull.Both US premiums rise in b...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday August 18.Please click...Read More
Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in Europe were fairly stable in the week ended Wednesday August 18 due to seasonally low market activity during the August holiday period, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand was expected to recover in September, following the traditional cycle.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel domestic plate, 8-40mm, exw Southern Europe, was ?,?940-950 ($1,104-1,116) per to...Read More
Trading activity was close to zero in the European hot-rolled coil markets on Wednesday August 18, with buyers having mixed outlooks for September, when demand was expected to recover, sources have told Fastmarkets.Most of the region's buyers and producers have been holding back from trading so far during August, following traditional patterns of activity.Northern European buyers were already slow...Read More
Japanese steel scrap sellers have continued to pull back from export markets following the Obon holidays amid expectations of a price drop at this week's Kanto Tetsugen auction, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 18.Japanese scrap sellers "wait and see" ahead of auctionLower offers for scrap to China heard from South KoreaTaiwan secures containerized scrap at $440 per tonneIndian import...Read More
The steel rebar market in Southern Europe remained quiet, with prices flat, in the week to Wednesday August 18, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Southern Europe was unchanged at ?,?760-805 ($893-945) per tonne on August 18.Trading in Italy and Spain was seasonally low, with buyers and mills holding back from the ma...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 18 that are worth another look.The chief executive officer of steel group Techint, Paolo Rocca, was acquitted of all charges in the "notebooks case," an investigation in Argentina into alleged payments made by the company to government officials in 2008.Read More
Prices for hot- and cold-rolled steel sheet and heavy plate in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow continued to slide in the week ended Monday August 16, sources have told Fastmarkets.Market participants believed that the downward trend would continue until the end of October.Hot-rolled sheetFastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled sheet, domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia,...Read More
The United States remained the bright spot for the physical trading of lead in the week to Wednesday August 18 amid a massive backwardation, while appetite for zinc was weak in Europe and China, Fastmarkets has heard.Wide backwardation in lead spread reduces spot trading interest in Asia, USLondon Metal Exchange lead inventory at low level, while Shanghai Futures Exchange lead inventory runs highP...Read More
A six-week price rally in the UG2 chrome ore market since late June was reversed in the week to Tuesday August 17, mainly due to falling demand for material from both the seaborne and portside markets.Fastmarkets' calculation of the chrome ore, South Africa UG2 concentrates index, basis 42%, cif China, nudged down by $2 per tonne to $182 per tonne on August 17, from $184 per tonne one week earlier...Read More
Turkish steel mills continued their deep-sea scrap purchases for September shipments at slightly lower prices, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 18.A steel producer in northern Turkey booked a European cargo comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20), 7,500 tonnes of shredded and 7,500 tonnes of bonus at an average price of $451 per tonne cfr on Wednesday. Market participan...Read More
Low-carbon wire rod prices in the United States rose by $30 per short ton in August to a record high set in 2008, while imports slipped from a record high. Fastmarkets' monthly assessment for steel wire rod (low carbon) industrial quality, fob mill US was $56-59 per hundredweight ($1,120-1,180 per short ton) on Tuesday August 17, up by 2.68% from $55-57 per cwt on July 20, and up by 6.48% fro...Read More
Turkish steel mills continued their deep-sea scrap purchases for September shipments at slightly lower prices, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday August 18.A steel producer in northern Turkey booked a European cargo comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20), 7,500 tonnes of shredded and 7,500 tonnes of bonus at an average price of $451 per tonne cfr on Wednesday. Market participan...Read More
The United States Department of Commerce ordered a final anti-dumping duty rate on sales of certain steel and alloy wire rod from Mexico shipped to US that were made at a less-than-normal value from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019, according to a notice in the Federal Register on Wednesday August 18.The order is a result of the agency's investigation into wire rod shipments to the US fr...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Dalila Ouerghi and...Read More