The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.United States sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum carrying into June. Actual US HRC prices averaged $1,712 per tonne in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,698 per tonne. Strong underlying supply-and-demand conditions both in the US and globally are supporting prices as well as long lead...Read More
Activity in the EU hot-rolled coil market in the week to Friday July 16 was low due to a seasonal demand slowdown and limited availability.Buyers were holding back from acquiring material due to the summer holiday slowdown and uncertainty about the price trend. Domestic prices have remained high despite a slight correction lower while buyers, who have sufficient stocks for a couple of months, pref...Read More
Slab export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) continued to decline in the week to Monday July 19, amid falling finished flat steel values in the region's main destination markets.In Turkey, hot-rolled coil prices dropped in the week to Friday July 16 on low activity in the key export outlets for that product. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HRC, export, f...Read More
Market activity in the European Union's hot-rolled coil sector has been limited due to the seasonal slowdown and long lead times, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday July 19.In addition to seasonal factors, buyers have shown limited interest in acquiring flat steel due to sufficient stocks and long lead times from domestic and overseas suppliers.Credit lines for buyers have also been exhausted over...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 19 that are worth another look.European steel association Eurofer is demanding stronger carbon emissions measures to guarantee a balanced approach that will enable a decarbonization of the region's steel industry, it said on Thursday July 15.Read More
Brazilian steel producers have accepted a reduction of 10% in import duties, and agreed to avoid raising domestic prices further, according to the country's economy minister, Paulo Guedes.The government has been in talks with representatives of steel producers, the country's construction industry and other end users. They are discussing options to normalize supply of rebar and other steel products...Read More
Coal exports from Australia's Queensland state fell 2% year on year in June, according to data from the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corp and Gladstone Ports Corp.Queensland, the country's metallurgical coal hub, exported 18.02 million tonnes of coal - including some thermal coal - in June, down from 18.43 million tonnes shipped in June 2020, according to the latest data from the two port operators...Read More
Several steelmakers in China stopped issuing export offers this week, while others sharply increased their offer prices to overseas buyers, suggesting that the Chinese government's desire to see production cuts is starting to have an impact.Steel mills, including Shandong Iron & Steel and Yingkou Medium Plate Co, have issued no export offers this week, with limited availability forcing them to pri...Read More
A combination of concerns over the spread of the delta variant of Covid-19, a sturdy dollar index and falling US equities triggered a sell-off in London Metal Exchange prices during the afternoon's trade on Monday July 19.Nickel's three-month price showed the biggest drop of the day, down by 3.2% at the close to $18,462 per tonne, from Friday's $19,070 per tonne price at the same time."Nickel pric...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 19 that are worth another look.European steel association Eurofer is demanding stronger carbon emissions measures to guarantee a balanced approach that will enable a decarbonization of the region's steel industry, it said on Thursday July 15.Read More
Steel billet buyers across Asia are facing a raft of expensive offers following frenetic buying activity among Chinese customers last week, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday July 19.Buying prices for steel billet in China climbed throughout last week on expectations that many mills would need to reduce output in the second half of the year, because China's authorities were targeting 2021 steel pr...Read More
Turkish steel mills stayed away from making any deep-sea scrap deals on Monday July 19, due to the start of the week-long Eid al-Adha public holiday, sources told Fastmarkets.Regular trading is not expected to resume until Monday July 26, they added.One market participant said the Turkish market for finished steel products and the scrap market...Read More
Flat steel prices in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow weakened during the week to Monday July 19 amid slow trading activity, with most producers holding back August offers while assessing the market, sources told Fastmarkets.Hot-rolled sheetTrading activity in the HR sheet market was muted over the past week, with most buyers abstaining from making purchases on expectations that dom...Read More
Century Aluminum subsidiary Nor??ur??l Grundartangi ehf has reached an agreement with the Icelandic national power company to extend the existing 161-megawatt contract at its Grundartangi aluminium smelter by three years through 2026.The contract will increase to 182MW over time to "support the most recent capacity creep requirements and future growth opportunities for value-added products...Read More
Slab export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) continued to decline in the week to Monday July 19, amid falling finished flat steel values in the region's main destination markets.In Turkey, hot-rolled coil prices dropped in the week to Friday July 16 on low activity in the key export outlets for that product. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HRC, export, f...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.As we approach the end of the first half of 2021, steel markets in Europe and the United States continue to heat up. This six-month period is largely unprecedented, with both steel prices and steelmakers' margins hitting a number of new record highs throughout.The rally is likely nearing its end, however, with global steel ou...Read More
A combination of concerns over the spread of the delta variant of Covid-19, a sturdy dollar index and falling US equities triggered a sell-off in London Metal Exchange prices during the afternoon's trade on Monday July 19.Nickel's three-month price showed the biggest drop of the day, down by 3.2% at the close to $18,462 per tonne, from Friday's $19,070 per tonne price at the same time."Nickel pric...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:?EUR? US sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum persisting into June. Actual US hot-rolled coil prices averaged $1,553 per ton in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,540 per ton. Prices remain supported by strong underlying sup...Read More
The latest data for the global manganese ore market for the week ended July 19, 2021.Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 19 that are worth another look.European steel association Eurofer is demanding stronger carbon emissions measures to guarantee a balanced approach that will enable a decarbonization of the region's steel industry, it said on Thursday July 15.Read More