The massive waves recorded in London Metal Exchange copper stocks could subside in 2018, with the big bull buying up tonnage to meet the coming year's commitments and deliveries from the bears to the exchange expected to return to their normal pace seen before 2016. The battle between two major trading houses that played out in the LME copper warehouses began in 2016, causing prices to rise and fa...Read More
Cold-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized prices have started the year up, according to market participants, but mills' attempts to push prices to multi-year peaks may collide with imports that are already at their highest point in years.American Metal Market's assessments for cold-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized base prices both stand at $42.50 per hundredweight ($850 per ton), up 1.19% fr...Read More
Proposed UK trade laws to replace EU legislation after the country leaves the union ("Brexit") could "water down [UK] anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures," according to a briefing note published by trade body UK Steel on Friday January 5.The country's parliament will debate two proposed pieces of legislation - the Trade Bill and the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill - on January 8 and 9.The Tr...Read More
Ukraine produced 21.3 million tonnes of steel in 2017, down by 12% year on year, according to national steelmakers' union Ukrmetallurgprom. The country's production of pig iron dropped by 15% year on year to 20 million tonnes, while rolled steel output fell by 14% to 18.4 million tonnes. Some mills in the rebel-held territories in Donetsk and Luhansk were not included in the figures since these&nb...Read More
Slab export prices from Brazil were up this past week as producers prepare to launch offers at higher levels. Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment of Brazil export slab was $500-510 per tonne fob on Friday January 5, up from $470-480 per tonne fob in the previous week. No deals or firm offers were made this past...Read More
The lack of buying activity at the beginning of the year has created mixed expectations about which direction global steel slab prices will take in January.Some market participants were bearish, suggesting that a splash of buying activity will be short-lived, at least in Asia, amid generally sluggish demand for finished flat steel in the region as well as the approaching Lunar New Year holiday.Bes...Read More
Metal Bulletin reviews the major stories that have affected the steel market over the past week.Iron ore prices started 2018 on a rise, gaining further ground on Friday January 5 to $76.80 per tonne cfr Qingdao despite the Chinese steel market retreating again.There was barely any movement in the seaborne coking coal market amid a lack of indicative and firm bids, with buyers still trying to figur...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, hot-dipped galvanized coil, pre-painted galvanized iron, steel plate, steel sheet and other flat steel products. Latest transactions: HRC, CRC, HDG, PPGIHot-rolled coilTurkey, domestic, hot-rolled coil, offered at $620-640 per tonne ex-works, March production.Turkey, export, hot-rolled coil, offered at $...Read More
The following Metal Bulletin noble alloys, bulk alloys and ores prices changed on Friday January 5:Noble alloys Molybdenum Europe drummed molybdic oxide, $/lb: $11.20-11.40 per lb from $10.70-11.00 Molybdenum US canned molybdic oxide, $/Ib $10.90-11.15 per Ib from $9.70-9.95 Ferro-molybdenum basis 65% min, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/kg Mo: $26.50-27.00 per kg from $26.20-26.80 Ferro-molybdenum US 6...Read More
Metal Bulletin is extending the deadline to provide feedback on its proposed tungsten concentrates index to Friday January 19. The extension will enable Metal Bulletin to respond to feedback received so far, and further consult with others in the market in light of this feedback. Metal Bulletin will then launch its cif Europe tungsten concentrates index on Friday January 26. The intention is to la...Read More
China's Ganzhou Tungsten Assn (GTA) has raised its price forecast for tungsten products in January, for the second consecutive month, in response to the price rally in recent weeks and the December production cuts.GTA's price forecast for black tungsten concentrates 65% and ammonium paratungstate (APT) are 113,000 yuan ($17,385) per tonne, up 5,000 yuan, and 173,000 yuan per tonne, up 7,000 yuan,...Read More
Key data from Metal Bulletin's Wednesday January 3 pricing session in China.Key data from Metal Bulletin's Wednesday January 3 pricing session in China.Molybdenum concentrate MB Chinese free market, 45% Mo, in-warehouse China, RMB/mtuKey drivers: - Domestic supply of molybdenum concentrates is still tight. - China's molybdenum price...Read More
Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Asia, bringing the key news and market stories on Friday January 5. SHFE copper prices retreated in Asian morning trading on Friday January 5 after surging in the previous afternoon's session, as the market awaits US payroll numbers due out tonight.Check Metal Bulletin's live futures report here. LME snapshot at 0232 London timeLatest 3M LME Pric...Read More
Hernic Ferrochrome has suffered a tailings dam collapse as it prepares to start hosting site visits for prospective buyers, market sources told Metal Bulletin. "The tailings dam collapse happened on Friday December 29, and the surroundings environment has been inspected by experts. Luckily so far the impact on the surrounding environment appears to be very limited," a Mitsubishi...Read More
Prices in the United Kingdom light iron scrap market have rallied this week, picking up where they left off late in 2017, with tight availability encouraging higher offer prices.The current trend toward higher prices started on November 10 last year.Metal Bulletin's price assessment for UK grade-5C ferrous scrap was ?110-135 ($149-183) per tonne on Friday January 5.The market is now at its highes...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap market has remained quiet this week, with mills were seeking rebar sales, while suppliers were struggling with the heavy winter conditions especially in the United States, Metal Bulletin was told on Friday January 5.Turkish steel mills were expected to book more scrap for February, but the supply remained tight and the country's...Read More
Export prices for Brazilian pig iron were unchanged at the beginning of January, amid an inactive market, Metal Bulletin has heard.Buying activity will only resume next week, a local source said on Thursday January 4.As a result of the lack of trading, Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for Caraj??s-origin pig iron was stable week-on-week on Friday...Read More
Iron ore prices edged up and remained above $76 per tonne cfr China on Friday January 5 despite a further retreat in Chinese steel prices.Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index Today: $76.80 per tonne cfr QingdaoDaily change: up by $0.26 per tonneMonth-to-date average: $75.76 per tonneMetal Bulletin's 58% Fe Premium Index Today: $62.32...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices fell on Friday January 5 following weakness in the paper market.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,250-4,280 yuan ($654-658) per tonne, down by 20 yuan per tonne Northern China (Tianjin): 4,110-4,140 yuan per tonne, down 30 yuan per tonneTrading activity thinned in both the eastern and northern regions after the futures market weakened during the day, according to m...Read More
Iron ore prices gained further ground on Friday January 5 despite the Chinese steel market retreating again.Key driversChina's spot prices for hot-rolled coil shed 20-30 yuan per tonne during the day while those for rebar tumbled 30-130 yuan per tonne.The country's ferrous futures market was rangebound in the morning, and then experienced a V-shaped trend in the afternoon, falling sharply before r...Read More