A growing number of steelmakers cutting production in China has prompted steel mills to reduce their consumption of direct-charge iron ore - iron ore pellets and lumps, market sources told Fastmarkets.Earlier in July, several steelmakers in various regions across China told Fastmarkets that they intend to keep this year's steel output levels from exceeding last year's.Growing uncertaintyThis has c...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 28 that are worth another look.German steelmaker Salzgitter has delivered green strip steel to automotive producer Mercedes-Benz, the company recently announced.The main workers union at Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, has called on its members...Read More
Prices for steel billets imported to the Philippines have jumped in the week to July 28 after Chinese buying activity inflated offer prices for mills in Southeast Asia, sources told Fastmarkets.Trading activity into the Philippines had been quiet the previous week in the face of huge Chinese demand, with just one deal for Vietnamese induction furnace (IF) billet heard done at $688 per tonne cfr Ma...Read More
The export billet trade from Iran has dried up in recent weeks amid severe production cuts at mills enforced by the shortage of electricity supply in the country, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday July 28.Extreme heat and drought conditions have reduced water levels to the point that generation of sufficient hydro-electric power has become impossible."Mills are allowed to use electricity at nighttime...Read More
China's domestic and imported ferro-chrome prices were both boosted again in the week ended Tuesday July 27 after major stainless steel mills raised their August tender prices by 2,400 yuan ($369) per tonne from the previous month, to a level not seen in the past 13 years.Due to continuing supply interruptions and strong demand for material, Tsingshan announced its tender price for August-delivery...Read More
Summer maintenance work at steel mills was continuing across Japan but reduced generation volumes and strong prices paid by South Korea were continuing to support export scrap prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 28.On the lower-grade H2 material, reduced supply has been balanced by continued poor demand from Taiwan and Vietnam, sources said."I feel that the market is not so strong,...Read More
Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe remained unchanged on Wednesday July 28 while the market heads into a slower seasonal period, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,400-1,430 ($1,653-1,688) per tonne on July 28, unchanged week on week."The holidays are starting in the coming days, many are holding...Read More
The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam,...Read More
An arbitrage between two of the world's main copper contracts has had the market chasing shadows over the week ended Wednesday July 28.On July 26, the Comex active (September) contract traded at more than $300 per tonne above London Metal Exchange price levels for the month to date, in what was a record spread between the two contracts.The massive premium came at the end of a month in which the Ch...Read More
Prices in the coking coal market in China held firm on Wednesday July 28 but climbed in the fob Australia market on increased buying interest, market sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $215.55 per tonne, up by $1.25 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $315.76 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $182.41 per tonne, up by 0.50 per tonneHard co...Read More
Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in Italy moved down in the week ended Wednesday July 28 due to lower slab costs and competitive imports, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel domestic plate, 8-40mm, exw Southern Europe, was ?,?950-970 ($1,122-1,145) per tonne on July 28, down by ?,?15-20 per tonne from ?,?970-985 per tonne on July 21.The assessment was based o...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday July 28.Please click...Read More
An overview of the consumer electronics markets and their latest price moves.Janie Davies, Cristina Belda and...Read More
Prices in the coking coal market in China held firm on Wednesday July 28 but climbed in the fob Australia market on increased buying interest, market sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $215.55 per tonne, up by $1.25 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $315.76 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $182.41 per tonne, up by 0.50 per tonneHard co...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 28 that are worth another look.German steelmaker Salzgitter has delivered green strip steel to automotive producer Mercedes-Benz, the company recently announced.The main workers union at Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, has called on its members...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices fell sharply with the United States cargo deal announced on Wednesday July 28, sources told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo, comprising 10,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $475 per tonne, 25,000 tonnes of shredded and 15,000 tonnes of bonus at $495 per tonne cfr on July 23.This compares with the previous deep-sea trade recorded...Read More
Summer maintenance work at steel mills was continuing across Japan but reduced generation volumes and strong prices paid by South Korea were continuing to support export scrap prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 28.On the lower-grade H2 material, reduced supply has been balanced by continued poor demand from Taiwan and Vietnam, sources said."I feel that the market is not so strong,...Read More
Steel H-beam prices in Europe were stable on Wednesday July 28 following a seasonal slowdown in demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,050-1,080 ($1,239-1,275) per tonne on Wednesday, unchanged week on week.A distributor said that mills were keen to push prices to ?,?1,100 per tonne, but this was not curre...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe remained fairly stable on Wednesday July 28 despite slow trading and pressure from cheap import offers to Southern Europe, sources told Fastmarkets.Demand has been weak due to the seasonal summer-holiday slowdown across the EU.In addition, the number of offers from European mills has been limited. Suppliers in Germany were reported to be holding back f...Read More
Prices for steel hollow sections in Europe remained unchanged on Wednesday July 28 while the market heads into a slower seasonal period, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe was ?,?1,400-1,430 ($1,653-1,688) per tonne on July 28, unchanged week on week."The holidays are starting in the coming days, many are holding...Read More