Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange had rallied by 2.2% at the close on Friday April 6 following the announcement that the United States has sanctioned and frozen Oleg Deripaska's assets subject to US jurisdiction,which includes Rusal.The three-month aluminium price closed at $2,042 per tonne, its highest since before the Easter break. "[Aluminium made] a late charge to $2,055 per t...Read More
The United States has sanctioned and frozen Oleg Deripaska's assets subject to US jurisdiction, the US Treasury said in a release on Friday April 6. The department designated Deripaska, who stepped down as president of both UC Rusal and EN+ in February, as a Russian oligarch. Deripaska is a non-executive director on EN+. The department said in the release he has acted or purportedly acted...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The UK inter-merchant price range for austenitic alloy steel products narrowed upward by ?10 per tonne this week while the price of nickel fluctuated, sources said on Friday April 6.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for inter-merchant 18/8 scrap solids in the UK was ?940-980 ($1,319-1,375) per tonne delivered on Thursday, compared with ?930-980 per tonne on March 29.The London Metal Exch...Read More
Steel scrap prices in the major global markets have shown strong declines following the sharp fall in Turkish imported scrap values during the working week from Monday April 2 to Friday April 6.Taiwanese and US scrap prices did remain stable but the pressure on US prices as strengthened over the week.Turkey importsTurkish import scrap prices fell sharply after steel producers managed to get lower...Read More
Trading activity in the Indian import scrap market will only pick up again if prices drop by at least $10 per tonne, market sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday April 6.Disappointing domestic finished steel prices and uncertainty over the Section 232 import tariffs on steel in the United States have caused consternation in the Indian scrap markets during recent weeks. Sources said that prices wou...Read More
Comex copper prices once again experienced selling pressure on Friday April 6 morning in the US, with trade talks between China and the US hitting a critical juncture. Copper for May settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 2.55 cents or 0.8% to $3.0490 per lb. Overnight, US President Donald Trump announced further tariff considerations against Chinese product...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are for the most part weaker this morning, Friday April 6, following further announcements from the White House of increased tariffs against China. The main movers are nickel (-1.2%), copper (-0.9%) at $6,755 per tonne, lead (-0.7%) and zinc (-0.5%), while tin and aluminium are little changed.Volume remains light with 2,931 lots traded as of 07.31 am...Read More
Local prices for flat steel goods in Brazil were stable for the second week in a row in early April, with new price adjustments expected only in June.Metal Bulletin's monthly price assessment for Brazilian hot-rolled coil (HRC) was steady month on month on Friday April 6, at 2,500-2,600 Reais ($750-780) per tonne ex-works.Over the same period, Metal Bulletin's monthly price assessment for Brazilia...Read More
Indian steel mills are likely to increase domestic hot rolled coil (HRC) prices about 750 rupees ($12) per tonne following a surge in commodities' prices in the international market this week, sources told Metal Bulletin.Officials from at least two Indian mills confirmed that the domestic price for HRC in April will be hiked at least Rs750 per tonne. "The mills have not officially sent a revised p...Read More
Most flat steel prices in Turkey's domestic and export markets were stable this week, and demand was still poor, market participants told Metal Bulletin on Friday April 6.Local producers were fully booked until June, and most of them have not announced new prices for June production yet.Domestic pricesHot-rolled coil (HRC) producers in Turkey have been offering material at $675 per tonne ex-works...Read More
Domestic prices of hot-rolled coil (HRC) and cold-rolled coil (CRC) in Argentina increased this month amid recovering demand and higher international prices."There was a small adjustment in some prices," an Argentinian distributor said.Metal Bulletin's monthly assessment of Argentina's domestic HRC increased to $750-755 per tonne ex-works on Friday April 6, from $740-745 per tonne ex-works a month...Read More
The Australian Anti-Dumping Commission has initiated a review of the anti-dumping measures imposed on China-origin hot-rolled rod in coil that have maximum cross sections of less than 14mm.The rod in coil is classified under tariff subheadings 7213.91.00 (statistical code 44), 7227.90.90 (statistical code 02) and 7227.90.90 (statistical code 42), the commission said this week.Hot-rolled reinforcin...Read More
Domestic prices for rebar in Poland have been stable this week, but market activity has started to improve slowly, sources told Metal Bulletin."Demand is improving because the construction sector wants more material since the weather improved," a Polish trader said...Read More
The UK inter-merchant price range for austenitic alloy steel products narrowed upward by ?10 per tonne this week while the price of nickel fluctuated, sources said on Friday April 6.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for inter-merchant 18/8 scrap solids in the UK was ?940-980 ($1,319-1,375) per tonne delivered on Thursday, compared with ?930-980 per tonne on March 29.The London Metal Exch...Read More
Steel scrap prices in the major global markets have shown strong declines following the sharp fall in Turkish imported scrap values during the working week from Monday April 2 to Friday April 6.Taiwanese and US scrap prices did remain stable but the pressure on US prices as strengthened over the week.Turkey importsTurkish import scrap prices fell sharply after steel producers managed to get lower...Read More
Trading activity in the Indian import scrap market will only pick up again if prices drop by at least $10 per tonne, market sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday April 6.Disappointing domestic finished steel prices and uncertainty over the Section 232 import tariffs on steel in the United States have caused consternation in the Indian scrap markets during recent weeks. Sources said that prices wou...Read More
Brazilian slab export prices remained unchanged this week, with few offers heard, but producers were reported to be hoping for a new increase in offers for May-production batches.Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment of Brazil export slab prices was unchanged on Friday April 6, at $580-590 per tonne fob.Demand for slab was reported to be increasing, with buyers in Europe and Southeast Asia returning...Read More
Offers for Brazilian slab will likely increase in April on sellers' optimism despite growing resistance from buyers, after the United States temporarily delayed its Section 232 import tariffs on Brazil. But in Asia, slab prices are expected to remain steady or even decline slightly on sluggish trading and weakness in upstream and downstream segments, while products from the Commonwealth of Indepen...Read More
The base price assessments for flat stainless steel products in Europe narrowed downward by ?,?20 per tonne this week due to pressure from cheap imports and high stock levels, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday April 6.Metal Bulletin's weekly base price assessment for 2mm, grade-304 cold-rolled (CR) stainless steel sheet was ?,?1,050-1,110 ($1,287-1,360) per tonne delivered in Northern Europe o...Read More