Steel billet prices in the global markets went down slightly or remained stable, except in Southeast Asia, during the working week from Monday February 2 to Friday February 9.In Southeast Asia, prices strengthened amid tight supply, while export prices out of Turkey, India and the CIS region remained largely stable over the past week.Meanwhile, billet prices in the import markets of Latin America,...Read More
Steel billet prices in the global markets went down slightly or remained stable, except in Southeast Asia, during the working week from Monday February 2 to Friday February 9.In Southeast Asia, prices strengthened amid tight supply, while export prices out of Turkey, India and the CIS region remained largely stable over the past week.Meanwhile, billet prices in the import markets of Latin America,...Read More
The copper price trading on the London Metal Exchange managed to hold on to most of its early morning gains to close $76 per tonne higher on Monday February 12. The three-month copper price is now trading back above $6,800 per tonne and the red metal continues to stabilize after falling to a two-month low after the equity market plummeted and the dollar recovered. The majority of metals closed in...Read More
Comex copper prices bounced back on Monday February 12 morning in the US due to a weaker dollar and the market stabilizing after heavy losses last week.Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 4.15 cents or 1.4% to $3.0750 per lb. On Friday, the contract tumbled to its lowest point since December 14, 2017.Base metals were driven lower last week whi...Read More
The early-February sell-off in London Metal Exchange base metals seems to have run its course for now, but it may have not been as extreme as it could have been, ironically because of the growing influence of computerized trading systems.At the end of December last year, copper traded as high as $7,291.50 per tonne, and was pretty much maintained at solid levels comfortably above $7,000 for the fi...Read More
Tungsten prices climbed higher last week in Europe amid tightening spot supply, while the Chinese market has started to wind down ahead of the week-long national holiday for Chinese New Year. China's tungsten market starts to wind down ahead of Lunar New Year Tightness in tungsten concentrate to continue in the first quarter ahead of China's National People's Congress scheduled for March&nbs...Read More
Chinese ferro-silicon prices have been flat over the past week before the Lunar New Year holiday, the European market dropped further amid slow demand and US prices were supported by supply tightness. Chinese activity pauses ahead of holiday Slow activity in Europe prompts lower offer prices Supply tightness underpins US market China holds steady before holidayChinese domestic fer...Read More
Glencore's Pasar copper smelter has returned to operation after fixing a technical failure that led to a production halt last month, the company told Metal Bulletin."The problem has been resolved and the smelter is back online," Glencore spokesman Charles Watenphul said in an emailed statement. The spokesman declined to provide details on the repairs undertaken or comment on whether the 330,000 to...Read More
Manganese ore prices jumped by as much as 35 cents per lb on Friday February 9, as consumers stockpiled ahead of Chinese New Year in anticipation of further price increases. Ore prices jump as much as 35 cents as consumers stockpileAlloy prices drift in ChinaIndian alloy prices pull back as China winds downEuropean alloy prices hold in thin tradingAlloy markets stand firm in USA Manganese ore pric...Read More
Chinese silicon export prices jumped up by 1.3% on Friday February 9 due to currency uncertainty and tightening spot availability, while US silicon prices rose again on higher logistics costs and supply concerns ahead of the final determinations on the anti-dumping and countervailing duty probes. Chinese silicon metal export price breached $2,000 per tonne in the latest pricing assessment amid a b...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market went quiet on Monday February 12, digesting the latest bookings done at the end of last week.Turkish steelmakers were active in the bulk ferrous scrap market over the preceding seven days, booking at least eight bulk ferrous scrap cargoes from suppliers in the United States, the UK and...Read More
Turkish domestic auto bundle scrap prices have shown mixed dynamics over the past week, with some mills reducing their prices in line with falling imported scrap values, while other mills raised their prices to buy more material, sources said on Monday February 12.A number of steel mills in Turkey reduced their buy prices for scrap material by TRY10-15 ($3-4) per tonne in the past seven days, whil...Read More
Comex copper prices bounced back on Monday February 12 morning in the US due to a weaker dollar and the market stabilizing after heavy losses last week.Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 4.15 cents or 1.4% to $3.0750 per lb. On Friday, the contract tumbled to its lowest point since December 14, 2017.Base metals were driven lower last week whi...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange seem to have found buying interest this morning, Monday February 12, with all of the base metals, except lead (-0.3%), showing gains averaging 1%. The three-month copper price leads the way with a 1.8% rally to $6,870 per tonne - this after a low last Friday of $6,733 per tonne.Volume has been high with 12,015 lots traded as of 07:09 am London time -...Read More
Import prices for re-rolling-grade hot-rolled coil in Vietnam surged over the past week on higher offer prices from major suppliers, including China and India. Metal Bulletin's assessment of HRC import prices in Southeast Asia - which mainly looks at Chinese 2-3mm SAE1006 HRC and equivalent grades sold into Vietnam - was $607-620 per tonne cfr for the week ended Monday February 12, up $22-25 per t...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil futures posted some gains on Monday February 12 after the country's steel production hub of Tangshan announced more production caps late last Friday.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,110-4,130 yuan ($653-656) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,000-4,030 yuan per tonne, unchangedFerrous futures surged at the start of the day's session in the wake of news that...Read More
China's ferrous futures mostly started the week with slight gains during the morning trading session on Monday February 12.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,910 yuan ($621) per tonne, up 15 yuan per tonne May hot-rolled coil: 3,966 yuan per tonne, down 1 yuan per tonne Dalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 522 yuan per tonne, down 0.50 yuan per tonne...Read More
Indian state-owned steelmaker Steel Authority of India (Sail) reported a rise in profit in the fourth quarter of 2017 after ten consecutive months of decline, the company said on Thursday February 8.The company reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) of 15.71 billion rupees ($244 million) in October-December 2017, the third quarter of its current financial...Read More
Rebar producer Sohar Steel has received certification of its responsible sourcing of construction products and sustainable constructional steel (SCS) from the UK-based Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steel (CARES), the Omani company said on Sunday February 11.The company produces 800,000 tonnes per year of rebar and 600,000 tpy of steel billet.It sells its products in Oman and...Read More
China's rebar futures increased on Monday February 12 as the country's steel production hub announced more manufacturing restrictions, while spot prices were stable amid sparse trading ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,860-3,920 yuan ($613-623) per tonne, unchanged. Northern China (Beijing): 3,950-3,990 yuan per tonne, unchanged. Ferrous futures jumped by...Read More