Plate prices in the United States rose for a second consecutive week on long lead times for spot orders and tight supplies resulting from Section 232 tariffs on imported steel.American Metal Market's price assessment for cut-to-length plate stands at $48 per hundredweight ($960 per ton), up 1.1% from $47.50 per cwt previously and up 3.2% from $46.50 per cwt a month ago.Plate prices are also up 41....Read More
New tariffs threatened by the United States on imports of cars from Europe could jeopardize as many as 1 million jobs in manufacturing and 3.3 million jobs in the retail sector, according to the European Union.The EU made its comments in documents submitted to the US Department of Commerce as part of that country's continuing Section 232 national security investigation into imports of cars, SUVs,...Read More
Market activity was focused on downstream silico-manganese and ferro-manganese products in China last week after steel mills put out tenders at higher prices in anticipation of higher-priced trades in the weeks ahead. Semi-carbonate manganese ore cif Tianjin prices unmoved 44% manganese ore cif Tianjin ticks upward Ferro-manganese Chinese free market surges European manganese al...Read More
Ammonium paratungstate (APT) prices continued to weaken last week, with the recent tightness subsiding and spot activity slowing down. Chinese, European APT prices move lower Spot activity slows down Partial APT production restarts in Jiangxi province follow environmental inspections in the region The downtrend in the Chinese APT export market continued on low buying interest from outside buy...Read More
Panasonic is looking for consistent and lower lithium prices where all parties, producers as well as consumers, can enjoy adequate profits, according to the company's executive vice president for global procurement. Speaking at Industrial Minerals' 10th Lithium Supply & Markets conference in Las Vegas on Thursday June 28, Masaharu Nagata said Panasonic is willing to make multi-year commitments to...Read More
Key data from the pricing session in the week ended Friday June 29. China Chinese stainless steel mills released higher tender prices for July. Prolonged ferro-chrome smelter shutdowns have continued to tighten the market and boost prices. Imported UG2 chrome ore prices dropped due...Read More
Due to an input error, Metal Bulletin's ferro-chrome China spot 6-8% carbon, on 50% chrome basis, delivered duty paid prices was published incorrectly on Friday June 29.Metal Bulletin has corrected its ferro-chrome China spot 6-8% Carbon, on 50% chrome basis, delivered duty paid price, which was published incorrectly on...Read More
The Chinese domestic ferro-silicon market has bounced in the past week due to a fall in production on a combination of government pollution controls and prohibitively expensive electricity costs; meanwhile, the European market has climbed after third-quarter deliver settlements were agreed above the previous bottom in spot prices. China domestic market bounces due to falling supply amid cuts ...Read More
Swedish state-owned iron ore producer LKAB has applied for a new environmental permit that would allow it to increase output at its main mine in Kiruna, northern Sweden, the company said on Monday July 2."To achieve the planned increase in production, Kiruna should have a new environmental permit in place no later than at the turn of the year 2019-20. So it's crucial that the environmental assessm...Read More
Turkish steel producers extended their silence in the deep-sea scrap markets on Monday July 2, but are expected to resume buying soon for August deliveries.However, the producers are waiting to see the level of demand for finished steel products before buying more scrap, according to market participants."Turkish mills ended their July bookings and will probably wait for a while to see the...Read More
Pig iron export prices from Brazil remained unchanged last week, with most producers were already sold out amid rebounding domestic demand. Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for pig iron exports from Brazil was $390-395 per tonne fob for material from the northern Caraj??s region on Friday June 29, while the assessment for south-eastern Minas Gerais region was $375-380...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have remained largely stable over the past week, with demand for material being moderate, sources said on Monday July 2.Only one steel mill changed its buy price for auto bundle scrap over the past week, while the rest kept their prices unchanged.Long steel producer ID??, in the Izmir region, increased its buy price for auto bundle scrap by TRY10 per tonne to TRY1,520...Read More
Prices for iron ore lumps remained strong on Monday July 2 despite a few transactions involving fines being concluded below prevailing levels.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $64.54 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.48 per tonne Metal Bulletin 58% Fe Premium Index: $51.92 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.42 per tonne Metal Bulletin 65% Fe Iron Ore Index: $91.60 per tonne cfr Qingdao,...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transaction: iron oreIron oreRio Tinto, tender, 100,000 tonnes of 61% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, sold at $62.38 per tonne cfr China, laycan July 17-26.Rio Tinto,...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 14 points in pre-opening trade. Futures responded to growing concerns about a trade war after the European Union threatened to impose tariffs valued at $300 billion against U.S. goods.Adding to futures weakness was the presidential election in Mexico of left-leaning Lopez Obrader.Constellation Brands dropped $1.24 to...Read More
Seaborne coking coal spot prices were largely stable on Monday July 2 despite some offers being made above prevailing levels, which kept end-users away from the market. "The offers are not representative of the current market. Prices were propped up after last week's trade [of $211 per tonne cfr China]," a Chinese trader told Metal Bulletin. An end-user source said that the current market was arti...Read More
China's domestic and export prices for hot-rolled coil weakened on Monday July 2 with trading activity remaining thin, sources told Metal Bulletin.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,240-4,270 yuan ($640-645) per tonne, widened downward by 20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,130-4,180 yuan per tonne, widened downward by 40 yuan per tonneWhile traders in Shanghai were asking for 4,260-4,27...Read More
The global downtrend in antimony prices continued last week amid weakening demand.In Europe, prices for antimony with bismuth content below 100ppm or trioxide-grade in-warehouse Rotterdam moved down to $7,900-8,150 per tonne on Friday June 29 from the mid-week assessment of $8,000-8,250 per tonne.The MMTA standard grade II antimony in-warehouse Rotterdam price was stable at $7,900-8,150 per tonne...Read More
A continuous rise in the dollar against the Chinese yuan has put downward pressure on Chinese silicon export quotations this past week, while prices in Europe retreated amid a seasonal lull.Metal Bulletin assessed Chinese grade 553 silicon export prices at $1,710-1,760 per tonne on Friday June 29, down 2% from $1,740-1,800 per tonne one week ago. Consensus among market participants is that quotati...Read More
Metal Bulletin is proposing to launch a price assessment for ferrous scrap on a cfr Vietnam basis, to be published as a $ per tonne range every week.Following an initial consultation with the market, it has become clear that Vietnam is fast becoming a key price indicator for the ferrous scrap market in Asia, and will likely become a crucial benchmark in the region. Its importance has grown to matc...Read More