Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe remained flat on Wednesday August 25 due to the quiet summer market, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,400-1,430 ($1,644-1,679) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.Trading remains low during the summer holidays - participants have not yet returne...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday August 25 that are worth another look.The global markets for containerized freight have entered even deeper water in recent weeks, with closures at the key port of Ningbo-Zhoushan in China leading to worsening cargo delays, port congestion and a further...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices suspended their upward trend on Wednesday August 25 amid a drop in sales volumes.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,200-5,230 yuan ($803-808) per tonne, unchangedRestocking demand continued to weaken due to traders' concerns about high prices in September.End users slowed their procurement rates slightly to see if spot prices would drop...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mainly weaker on the morning of Wednesday August 25, although they had previously rebounded from last week's weakness.Shanghai Futures Exchange base metals prices were mainly stronger on Wednesday in response to the previous day's gains on the LME.Broader markets focused on Friday's United States Federal Reserve Jackson Hole symposiumSpread of t...Read More
Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday August 25.Please click...Read More
Trading activity in the Commonwealth of Independent States' export long steel market remained sluggish in the week to Wednesday August 25 amid slow demand from Europe due to holidays in the region as well as continuing competition with Turkish suppliers.Turkish steel producers decreased their export offers for rebar to $680-695 per tonne fob on an actual weight basis last week, against $695-705 pe...Read More
Chilean copper producer Codelco has initiated construction work on Rajo Inca, a $1.38-billion addition to its Salvador mine, which should begin operations in 2022, the state-owned company said on Tuesday August 24.Rajo Inca increases the mine life at Salvador by 47 years, to 2070, with copper capacity to reach 90,000 tonnes per year, from 60,000 tpy currently. Mineral exploration will move from an...Read More
Tin ingot premiums in the United States have decreased slightly for the first time since the start of 2021 together with those in Taiwan, while in Europe, the all-time highs seen for the past two months held on as the supply tightness in the region persisted. US offers, deals still broadly around $4,000 per tonne despite imminent arrival of cargoes. Taiwan premiums fall after "hoarding" of ingot.T...Read More
Tsingshan Group has lowered its tender price for September-delivery ferro-chrome to 9,995 yuan ($1,543) per tonne, the Chinese stainless steelmaker said on Wednesday August 25.The tender price is 800 yuan per tonne (7.41%) lower than what the eastern Chinese mill - the country's largest ferro-chrome buyer - had sought for August-delivery material.While lower than the previous month's 13-year high,...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday August 25.Please click...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China stemmed their recent rally on Wednesday August 25 while industry data points to an output increase in mid-August.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,690-5,720 yuan ($879-883) per tonne, widening downward by 20 yuan per tonneThe China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) said on Tuesday morning that daily crude steel output from its member mills average...Read More
Sentiment was mixed in the European hot-rolled coil market on Wednesday August 25, with activity starting to recover slowly after holidays, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers who have returned to the market after the traditional holiday period in August were taking their time before making deals, believing that prices would decline. Mills, in the meantime, felt no pressure to make deals at discounts...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China stemmed their recent rally on Wednesday August 25 while industry data points to an output increase in mid-August.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,690-5,720 yuan ($879-883) per tonne, widening downward by 20 yuan per tonneThe China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) said on Tuesday morning that daily crude steel output from its member mills average...Read More
Slower spot activity prevented any changes to the US Midwest aluminium premium although deals were still concluded at high end of Fastmarkets' assessment range on Tuesday August 24.While a lack of market liquidity combined with slow demand kept European and Asian premiums static, Brazilian premiums rose slightly thanks to higher offers.US Midwest market flat after reaching record highPremiums in E...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices increased in the cfr China market following a strong domestic coking coal market on Wednesday August 25 and stayed largely firm in the fob Australia market amid low trading activities, market sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $391.84 per tonne, up $5.01 per tonneHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $365.31 per tonne, up $8.63 per tonnePr...Read More
Prices for containerized steel scrap imported into Taiwan remained flat on Wednesday August 25, but sources said the outlook in the market was shaky for the coming month.Taiwan buys containerized scrap at $440 per tonne in recent dealsWide bid-offer gap cfr China scrap persistsDeal at lower price heard for shredded scrap to IndiaTaiwanThere were transactions concluded at $440 per tonne cfr Taiwan...Read More
Domestic rebar producers in the United Arab Emirates reduced their prices on Tuesday August 24 amid low demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand was low because of the summer slowdown and falling prices; buyers preferred to wait to determine how much further prices will fall.The country's biggest producer, Emirates Steel, offered rebar at 2,610 dirhams ($710.46) per tonne, down from 2,957 dirh...Read More
The spread between prices for 65% Fe iron ore and 62% Fe products have narrowed rapidly in recent weeks due to the former weakening at a faster pace than the latter.This has resulted in a mixed long-term outlook for high-grade fines, market sources told Fastmarkets.Narrowing spreadAs hints of the central Chinese government's intention of keeping this year's output from exceeding last year's began...Read More
Hot-rolled coil (HRC) import prices to Saudi Arabia increased during the week ending Tuesday August 24; the market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was stable, sources told Fastmarkets.The market was slow in the UAE due to the summer season as well as to a lack of new projects, sources said.Saudi ArabiaChina offered HRC at $1,020-1,040 per tonne cfr Saudi Arabia, unchanged since last week.India o...Read More