Seaborne coking coal prices in both the cfr China and fob Australia markets remained largely stable on thin trading on Tuesday August 17, with most buyers cautious about accepting high offers, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $351.82 per tonne, up $1.16 per tonne Hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $305.61 per tonne, up $0.60 per tonne Premi...Read More
Robust domestic prices in the Japanese steel scrap market were keeping prices for material from the East Asian country strong despite tepid demand from major importers, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 17.Japanese local scrap prices remain firmBuying interest for imported HS limited in ChinaTaiwan scrap import prices inch higher amid strong offers.JapanContinued robust demand in Japan's...Read More
Russia's Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has suspended operations at its No2 basic oxygen furnace (BOF) at Lipetsk, having identified the need for further repairs after ramping up operations following an accident at the site.On Monday August 9, an explosion at the No2 BOF unit caused the roof to ignite. And while no one was injured,...Read More
A summary of the financial results for Turkey's largest steelmaking group, Erdemir, for January-June 2021.In brief Erdemir Group produced 4.503 million tonnes of crude steel over the half-year, equivalent to 23% of the national total. The group's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) increased by 284.99% in January-June 2021, because of strong demand for steel in....Read More
Steel scrap prices in Mexico were mostly stable in the steelmaking regions of Bajio and Monterrey in the week ended Friday August 13, with buyers and sellers disputing whether to reduce prices.Price cuts for several grades of scrap were announced in the last two weeks by at least two steel producers, following a similar trend in international prices. Total price reductions could amount to 400-450...Read More
Imports of iron ore into the United States fell 80% month on month in May, when shipments from Brazil slowed to a trickle, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS).Iron ore imports totaled 95,000 tonnes in May compared with 482,000 tonnes in April and 345,000 tonnes in March. The total, however, was 21.79% higher than the 78,000 tonnes imported in the same month last year.Deliveries...Read More
Domestic hot-rolled coil prices in China narrowed on Tuesday August 17 while the export market remained stagnated on persistent fears over an introduction of export duties for the flat steel product.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,760-5,800 yuan ($889-895) per tonne, narrowing by 10 yuan per tonne While weak demand put pressure on spot HRC prices, steelmaking costs and output cuts provided sup...Read More
Coal exports from Australia's Queensland state increased by 8% year on year in July, according to data from the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corp and Gladstone Ports Corp.Queensland, the country's metallurgical coal hub, exported 16.87 million tonnes of coal - including some thermal coal - last month, up by 1.25 million tonnes from the 15.62 million tonnes shipped in July last year, according to th...Read More
A summary of China-headquartered Huayou Cobalt's results for the six months ended June 30, 2021, as released by the company on Monday August 16.January-June 2021 results(year-on-year change)Revenue 14.29 billion yuan ($2.21 billion), up by 57.91%Net profit 1.42 billion yuan,...Read More
Demand for steel rebar and billet remained limited in the United Arab Emirates in the week to Tuesday August 17, with prices already falling and some market participants expecting them to drop even further, sources told Fastmarkets.The lower prices for billet and rebar imports are expected to have a knock-on effect on the domestic market, where prices are also expected to decline because of weak d...Read More
A spike in the US Dollar Index in the afternoon of Tuesday August 17 brought down the prices for all base metals except tin and lead by the 5pm close of trading on the London Metal Exchange, with copper and nickel down respectively by 2% and 1.6%.The dollar index hit an intraday high of 93.14 on Tuesday, the highest since Thursday last week, when it reached 93.19."We've had two days of macro uncer...Read More
A lack of available containers for shipments out of the main Peruvian port of Callao, and shipping costs that have tripled since the start of this year, were hampering exports of copper, zinc and lead from the South American country, even as mine production was recovering from shutdowns in 2020 that were forced by the Covid-19 pandemic.Peru was the world's third-largest producer of zinc in 2020 an...Read More
China's nickel pig iron (NPI) prices decreased in the week to Friday August 13 amid a tumbling stainless steel market, though the stable cost of ore upstream kept them from falling rapidly.Fastmarkets assessed the nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China at 1,380-1,420 yuan ($213-219) per nickel unit last Friday, down by 10 yuan per tonne from 1,390-1,430 yuan a week earlier...Read More
Seaborne low- and high-grade manganese ore prices ticked downward in the week to Friday August 13 under pressure from portside markets, where weaknesses have persisted over the past month, despite higher freight rates and a steady performance by the manganese alloy sector.Fastmarkets calculated its weekly index for manganese ore, 44% Mn, cif Tianjin, at $5.32 per dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) on Fr...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 16 that are worth another look.Apparent steel use in the European Union will increase by 11.2% year on year in 2021, the European steel association Eurofer said in the week to August 16.A lack of available containers for shipments out...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday August 16 that are worth another look.Apparent steel use in the European Union will increase by 11.2% year on year in 2021, the European steel association Eurofer said in the week to August 16.A lack of available containers for shipments out...Read More
Prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the close on Monday August 16, with only tin making a solid advance, while the rest of the metals were either down or around their Friday levels. Tin's three-month price was up to $35,680 per tonne on Monday, up 1% from last Friday's closing price of $35,680 per tonne. It reached its latest all-time high of $35,955 per tonne on Thursday of last wee...Read More
Fastmarkets has identified a necessary clarification to the nickel sulfate specification with regard to timing of loading.The timing of loading for Fastmarkets' nickel sulfate ex-works China price assessment is within seven days, which was not reflected in the specifications when the price assessment was launched in July 2018.Fastmarkets confirms that the specifications are as follows, with the cl...Read More
Manganese flake prices hit record highs in Europe and the United States in the week ended Friday August 13, amid short supply, talk of further production cuts and persistent delays in transportation from China.Fastmarkets' price assessment for manganese, 99.7% electrolytic manganese flake, in-whs Rotterdam, rose by 5.6% to $5,050-5,250 per tonne on August 13, up from $4,750-5,000 per tonne in the...Read More
Turkish steel producers started the week with a single deep-sea cargo, which further deepened the decrease in prices, market participants told Fastmarkets on Monday August 16.A steel mill in the Izmir region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 18,500 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $455 per tonne, along with 5,000 tonnes of shredded and 1,500 tonnes of bonus at $470 per tonne cfr.The previous cargo...Read More