Inner Mongolia, China's ferro-chrome production heartland, has imposed restrictions on its metallurgical sector in a move that has fueled the high-carbon ferro-chrome markets in China and Europe, and although this may ease off, the gains were unlikely to be lost while alloy ramp-ups continue, sources have told Fastmarkets.The decision to restrict energy consumption in Inner Mongolia since December...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:?EUR? Impressive advances in ore and alloy prices persisted in March, with most markets posting significant price gains. Strengthening demand from steelmakers along with supply shortages and depleted inventories in numerous markets, as well as freight and transportation...Read More
Australia-listed IGO Ltd is one step closer to forming a joint venture with Chinese lithium producer Tianqi Lithium after key regulatory requirements for the internal restructuring of the Australasian arm of the latter to proceed have been satisfied, IGO said on Tuesday June 22. In December 2020, both companies signed an initial investment agreement which saw Tianqi's wholly-owned subsidiary Tianq...Read More
Rebounds were under way in the base metals in London and Shanghai this morning, Wednesday June 23, but we will have to wait to see how the metalsreact to today's manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) data.To reassure the markets, United States Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said: "We will not raise interest rates pre-emptively because we think employment is too high [or] because we...Read More
Buyers in South Korea have been willing to pay higher prices for Japanese scrap recently, outbidding Chinese buyers, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 23.The South Korean market has been highly interested in higher-quality scrap from Japan in recent months amid high special steel demand and rising scrap intake at some basic oxygen furnaces (BOFs) due to carbon neutrality policie...Read More
Turkish steel producers have extended their absence in the deep-sea scrap market due to weak rebar sales, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 23.Steelmakers have now been absent from the market since June 15, when two cargoes were sold into Turkey from the United States.A mill in the Marmara region bought both cargoes, comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $500 and $501 per tonne, plus...Read More
An overview of the specialty steel raw materials markets in Europe and their latest price moves.Janie Davies and...Read More
A summary of China's ores and alloys imports for May 2021.In brief May imports of ferro-chrome declined because buyers were less concerned about domestic supply after Inner Mongolia loosened its energy controls on high consuming companies in the second quarter. Manganese ore imports rose month on month with increased arrivals from...Read More
A summary of China's ores and alloys exports for May 2021.In brief China's silico-manganese export market was active due to a combination of strong demand and tight supply in the global silico-manganese market. APT exports in May dropped amid a slow overseas market. Overseas buyers were cautious in buying the material once the price reached $270 per...Read More
A three-week price rally for the ferro-chrome market in China sped up in the week to Tuesday June 22 on bullish market sentiment after leading producers in China initiated higher prices amid production uncertainty."Production has been greatly impacted amid the uncertainty brought by Inner Mongolia's energy controls and electricity supply shortage. This, together with sharply increased production c...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 23 that are worth another look.Swedish special steel producer Ovako is to collaborate with carmaker Volvo Group, Hitachi ABB Power Grids, H2 Green Steel and Nel Hydrogen to invest in hydrogen production at Hofors in Sweden, it has been announced.Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange continued to trade higher across the board during the day on Wednesday June 23. Prices across the complex followed their recent upward momentum during Wednesday's trading as a result of pacified market sentiment following the testimony given by Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell to Congress on Tuesday. "In his testimony, Powell's tone was relativ...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday June 23.Please click...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 23 that are worth another look.Swedish special steel producer Ovako is to collaborate with carmaker Volvo Group, Hitachi ABB Power Grids, H2 Green Steel and Nel Hydrogen to invest in hydrogen production at Hofors in Sweden, it has been announced.Read More
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
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 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
Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...Read More
Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange continued to edge up on the morning of Wednesday June 22, with comments by the United States Federal Reserve chairman on future actions by the central back easing tapering concerns."To reassure the markets, US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell said: 'We will not raise interest rates pre-emptively because we think employment is too high [or] becau...Read More
Iron ore prices rose on Wednesday June 23 amid improved sentiment because of the possible easing of blast furnace restrictions in China's Tangshan province and the sharp rise in coal prices, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $216.01 per tonne, up by $1.69 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $219.34 per tonne, up by $3.34 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grad...Read More