Flat steel prices for imports into the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia decreased during the week ended Tuesday June 29, but demand was better because of low stock levels, Fastmarkets was told.Some market participants expected flat steel prices to increase because of Russia's recently proposed export duty.Russia will impose a base 15% export duty on 340 metal products, including hot-rolled co...Read More
Lithium carbonate chemical prices must remain in excess of $10 per kg to stimulate the creation of new capacity to match the exponentially growing demand, Wei Xiong, vice president of China's General Lithium, has said.Wei was speaking during a lithium market webinar hosted by investment bank Morgan Stanley on Friday June 25."Demand [for lithium] is very solid," he said, "but supply is flexible and...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe remained stable on Tuesday June 29 with trading activity still limited, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers have been more cautious about making new deals because they have sufficient stocks for the next few months and delivery times from the EU mills for HRC are reaching late 2021. For downstream coil, several producers said they were now sold out for the...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday June 29 that are worth another look....Read More
All prices on the London Metal Exchange except for copper finished the day on June 29 at higher prices than Monday, with lead showing the biggest gains and setting a new year-to-date high, and aluminium up by 2.5%.Copper was the only price to close lower on Tuesday, falling 0.6% to $9,334.50 per tonne from Monday's $9,388 per tonne. The three-month price of lead rose by 3.2% to $2,305 per ton...Read More
Tin demand is likely to exceed 400,000 tonnes per year by 2025, while supplies from greenfield projects and recycled material are not expected to keep pace, leading to a deficit over the next decade, according to the International Tin Association (ITA).At an ITA seminar on Tuesday June 29, delegates heard that tin demand for 2020 was calculated at 355,200 tonnes, with more than 50% being used for...Read More
An overview of the chrome ore and alloy markets in Asia, Europe and the United States on Tuesday June 29 and their latest price moves.China Several major producers in Inner Mongolia stopped offering ferro-chrome in the spot market due to supply tightness amid power restrictions adding to bullish sentiment. Domestic spot ferro-chrome offer prices surged prior to an expected increase in upcoming Jul...Read More
Seven creditors have sued a Chinese warehousing and logistics firm to claim a loss of copper concentrate worth 1.073 billion yuan ($166 million), according to several court documents, the latest of which was released on June 23. Dalian Container Terminal Co Ltd (DCTL) allegedly delivered a total 925,000 tonnes of copper concentrates without the consent of the seven companies that had provided cred...Read More
The European ferro-titanium and titanium scrap markets may be set to push higher in the coming months after news that Russia will impose an export tax on ferro-alloys between August 1 and December 31 this year, according to industry sources.Europe imported around 1,500 tonnes of ferro-titanium per month on average from Russia in the past three years, including Scandinavia and Turkey, with 1,700-1,...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday June 29 that are worth another look....Read More
Ferrous scrap prices in Mexico's steelmaking regions of Monterrey and Baj?-o were mostly stable week on week while demand remained high, according to several sources.Few changes were reported during the past week, with prices appearing to stabilize at currently high levels. There were reports of some buyers adjusting their prices upward for some grades in the region near the northeastern Monterrey...Read More
Turkish steel mills picked up their activity in the deep-sea scrap markets with a fresh UK cargo sold at fairly stable prices, market participants said on Tuesday June 29.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked the UK cargo, comprising 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20), 10,000 tonnes of shredded and 10,000 tonnes of bonus at an average price of $505.50 per tonne cfr. The cargo is scheduled to be...Read More
Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and the Shanghai Futures Exchange were weaker across the board this morning, Tuesday June 29, with the spread of the Covid-19 Delta variant a worrisome development.While lockdowns can hit demand, there is also a risk to supply from mine closures or further logistical delaysBase metalsLME three-month base metals prices were down across the board...Read More
Export prices for steel rebar and wire rod from the Commonwealth of Independent States softened in the week ended Tuesday June 29 with the market under pressure from the introduction of a duty on steel product exports from Russia, as well as the extension of safeguard duties in Europe."The introduction of an export duty in Russia is an unprecedented event, and it will now take time to understand w...Read More
The steel rebar and billet import market in the United Arab Emirates was slow after the country's biggest steel producer announced reduced rebar prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday June 29.Emirates Steel, the biggest producer in the UAE, decreased its rebar price by 55 dirhams ($14.97) per tonne to 3,012 dirhams per tonne ex-works in effect from June 27.The new rebar price did not improve...Read More
The European steel association (Eurofer) has welcomed the extension of existing safeguard measures because they will continue to protect Europe's domestic steel industry from excessive imports.On June 25, the European Union confirmed there will be a three-year extension of the safeguarding measures on 26 steel products imported into the EU - lasting until June 30, 2024, with quota volumes increasi...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday June 29 that are worth another look....Read More
Ferrous scrap prices in Mexico's steelmaking regions of Monterrey and Baj?-o were mostly stable week on week while demand remained high, according to several sources.Few changes were reported during the past week, with prices appearing to stabilize at currently high levels. There were reports of some buyers adjusting their prices upward for some grades in the region near the northeastern Monterrey...Read More
Russia has adjusted existing export duties on ferrous scrap, setting duties at 5% with a minimum level of ?,?70 ($83) per tonne, according to the decree signed by the country's prime minister Mikhail Mishustin on June 23.The new regulations will come into force in the 30 days after the decree's publication and will remain in effect for a period of 180 days.Read More
Prices for steel billet exports from the Commonwealth of Independent States softened early in the week started Monday June 28 due to a lack of support from buyers.Russian suppliers mostly continued to stay away from the market, with no fresh offers placed yet following news last Friday of the planned introduction of an export duty on steel products from August 1.The duty's base rate will be 15%, w...Read More