Market terms for copper concentrates reached a 10-year high in April 2021; since then it has only been uphill for sellers.Fastmarkets' calculation of the index for copper concentrates TC/RC, which measures a mid-point for processing fees paid to smelters, hit $42.40 per tonne/ 4.24 cents per lb on July 9, almost double the low set on April 9.Over the weekend, information began to filter throu...Read More
Automotive producers are likely to be the first downstream sector to shift toward using "green steel," Saudi Arabian steel producer Sulb Co's chief executive Ravi Singh told delegates at the Singapore Steel Forum 2021 on Wednesday July 14.He said car producers have consistently been the main innovators among the main manufacturers using steel products. "Major automotive producers such as Merc...Read More
Tin continued to be unaffected by global macroeconomic pressures and reached a new year-to-date peak of $32,775 per tonne on the afternoon of Wednesday July 14, while other base metals traded on the London Metal Exchange ended the day's session with lower prices.The three-month price for tin closed 0.8% higher on Wednesday at $32,661 per tonne compared with Tuesday's 5pm price, with its all-time h...Read More
United States nickel briquette premiums surged upward by over 34% this week after mine strikes continued to tighten supply, while Chinese premiums rose on the open arbitrage window between London and Shanghai and European premiums remained flat, sources told Fastmarkets.US briquette premiums gained 34.8% this week after Vale's strike added to the existing material shortageThe open arbitrage window...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday July 14 that are worth another look.The International Rebar Producers & Exporters Association (Irepas) expects the prospects for global long steel products to remain satisfactory for the rest of 2021 and for 2022.The European Commission adopted on July 14...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 13 points in pre-opening trade.U.S. economic news to be released at 8:30 AM EDT and 9:15 AM EDT is expected to show extensions of recent advances. July Empire State Manufacturing Survey to be released at 8:30 AM EDT is expected to increase to 18.50 from 17.40 in June. July Philly Fed Index to be released at 8:30 AM ED...Read More
Steel H-beam prices in Europe increased on Wednesday July 14 after mills raised their offer prices because they have full order books, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?1,050-1,080 ($1,242-1,277) per tonne on July 14, widening upward by ?,?10 per tonne from ?,?1,050-1,070 per tonne on July 7."The mills ha...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil across Europe have remained high despite a slowdown in demand and competitive import offers, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday July 14.Buyers were reported to be largely inactive in the market due to the effect of the seasonal slowdown. They have also been holding back from acquiring substantial volumes over the past few weeks, mainly due to still-high price...Read More
Coking coal market in China stayed largely stable on Wednesday July 14 despite a few buying interests from end users in south China. There are also new buying activities for Australia coking coal loaded in November, market sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $210.03 per tonne, down $0.24 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $308.32 per tonne, up $0.34 pe...Read More
Iron ore prices were largely rangebound on Wednesday July 14 despite activity on the trading platforms, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $218.66 per tonne, up by $0.18 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $220.00 per tonne, down by $1.46 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $178.41 per tonne, down by $0.25 per tonne65% Fe...Read More
Metal held outside of London Metal Exchange warehouses fell for the third month in a row to just above 1 million tonnes in May, according to data released by the LME, with the amount aluminium and copper falling by more than 10%.Across all metals, stocks fell by 140,246 tonnes through May to 1,037,379 tonnes, the latest LME off-warrant stock report shows, down from 1,177,625 tonnes in April.The bi...Read More
US silver miner Hecla reported an increase in lead production during the second quarter as its Lucky Friday mine continues its first full year of commercial production in many years.The company's lead production of 11,541 tonnes in the second quarter was a 29% gain on the same period in 2020. The Lucky Friday mine resumed full production late...Read More
Shandong, China-based copper smelter Yantai Guorun has started repairs and maintenance work on one of its furnaces after an accident over the weekend, several market sources told Fastmarkets. The unplanned repairs and maintenance work will last for around one month, but the company's copper production has not been affected so far, with the company holding anode stocks for cathode conversion, sourc...Read More
An overview of the chrome ore and alloy markets in Asia, Europe and the United States on Tuesday July 13 and their latest price moves.China Domestic spot ferro-chrome prices jumped with higher offer prices, while liquidity remained light because of tighter spot availability. Supply concerns loomed after Inner Mongolia further restricted smelters' usage of electricity from late last week. The conti...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday July 13 that are worth another look.European steel association Eurofer has called for the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to be balancing mechanisms without any further reductions in free...Read More
Futures prices for nickel, aluminium and tin were higher at the 5pm close on July 13 on the London Metal Exchange, despite a spike in the United States Dollar Index after the release of US consumer price index readings. Aluminium's three-month price was the best performer on the LME on Tuesday, with a 1.8% gain on Monday's price to $2,535.50 per tonne. Over 15,000 lots of aluminium were traded by...Read More
Due to a reporter error, the United States tin premiums for Tuesday July 13 were published in Fastmarkets' price book five minutes later than the scheduled time of 3pm GMT.Fastmarkets' fortnightly assessment of the tin, 99.85% ingot premium, in-whs Baltimore, and the tin grade A min 99.85% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US, were published at 3.05pm on Tuesday.For more information, or to provide feedba...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday July 13 that are worth another look.European steel association Eurofer has called for the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to be balancing mechanisms without any further reductions in free...Read More
The manganese flake price has been on the rise since May 2021 due to tight availability in the spot market and strong demand from both the steel industry and the renewable energy automobile industry, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for 99.7% electrolytic manganese flake basis, fob, China rose to $2,800-2,850 per tonne on July 9, up by 3.70% from $2,700-2,750 per tonne o...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday July 13 that are worth another look.European steel association Eurofer has called for the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to be balancing mechanisms without any further reductions in free...Read More