Prices for steel scrap imported into China edged up on Thursday June 3 amid improving sentiment in the domestic market, sources said.Fastmarkets' daily price assessment for steel scrap, heavy recycled steel materials, cfr China - which takes into account prices at ports in eastern China - was $510-530 per tonne on Thursday, up by $10-15 from Wednesday.Many Chinese mills raised their purchase price...Read More
China's domestic stainless steel prices moved up over the week ended Wednesday May 2 on a strengthening of the nickel market, but demand weakened.The three-month nickel contract on the London Metal Exchange ended the official trading session on Wednesday at $18,173 per tonne, up by $975 per tonne from $17,198 per tonne a week earlier. The most-traded July nickel contract on the Shanghai Futures Ch...Read More
Sentiment in the steel wire rod market in the south of Europe remained quite optimistic over the past week, aided by persistent shortages, good demand and expensive raw materials, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday June 2.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Southern Europe, was ?,?820-840 ($1,001-1,025) per tonne on June 2, up from ?,?800-810 per...Read More
Turkish steel billet prices have gone down this week on falling costs for imported scrap raw material, market participants said on Thursday June 3.The Turkish scrap import prices have been falling over the week amid limited demand from the mills in the country.Fastmarkets calculated the daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), North Europe origin, cfr Turkey, at $495.27 per tonne on Wedne...Read More
Domestic steel rebar prices in Turkey have gone down over the past week amid falling scrap costs, market sources said on Thursday June 3.Turkish scrap import prices have fallen over the week amid limited demand from the mills in the country.Fastmarkets calculated the daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), North Europe origin, cfr Turkey, at $495.27...Read More
Positive employment data from the United States boosted the Dollar Index to its highest level since mid-May and triggered a selloff on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday June 3, with most metals' prices going down by 2-3%.Copper's three-month contract on the LME was most affected on Thursday, with its closing price falling by 3.5% to $9,788.50 per tonne at the 5pm close, from $10,147 per tonne...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Global welded pipe prices surged in May as strong demand and still-insufficient supply lifted flat steel prices.The biggest jumps were seen in China, which was hit by the unexpected announcement of the elimination of export rebates on welded pipes in April. Chinese seaborne prices reached $1,570 per tonne fob for longitudina...Read More
Japanese semiconductor chip producer Renesas Electronics Corp aims to return its production rate to 100% of its capacity three months after a fire broke out of its Naka factory in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture March 19.It is currently operating at 88% of capacity after restarting operations on April 17 following the procurement of all the equipment necessary to restore its pre-fire capacity.The fire...Read More
Production of copper and zinc in Peru fell in April, although output for January-April 2021 is still above 2020 levels, according to the latest data from the country's Ministry of Energy & Mines (Minem).Copper production in Peru was 173,151 tonnes in April, a 5.3% decrease from 182,756 tonnes in March, Minem data shows.Production during January-April 2021 was up 10% from the same period in 2020 to...Read More
Ukraine's Privat Group, a major producer of manganese alloys, hit a monthly production target for May of almost 59,000 tonnes at its Nikopol ferro-alloys plant, up by about 2,000 tonnes from April amid strengthening European prices this year, an industry source said.Privat is also considering whether to start an additional silico-manganese furnace at Nikopol, which would use low-phosphorus slag as...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were generally weaker on Thursday June 3 morning, although nickel bucked the trend on both exchanges.Brent crude oil continues to rally, reaching $71.71 on Thursday morning.China's Caixin services purchasing manager's index eases to 55.1 in May, from 56.3 in April.Base metalsLME three-month base metals prices were genera...Read More
Ukraine's Privat Group, a major producer of manganese alloys, hit a monthly production target for May of almost 59,000 tonnes at its Nikopol ferro-alloys plant, up by about 2,000 tonnes from April amid strengthening European prices this year, an industry source said.Privat is also considering whether to start an additional silico-manganese furnace at Nikopol, which would use low-phosphorus slag as...Read More
Iron ore prices pushed up on Thursday June 3, supported by rising steel and coke values, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $210.99 per tonne, up $1.80 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $212.81 per tonne, up $1.31 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $184.58 per tonne, up $2.28 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cfr Qingdao: $241....Read More
The world's second-largest copper mine, currently in expansion, will send 40% of its copper concentrate output in Phase 1 to a domestic smelter in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with negotiations to sell their copper output still underway, sources said.Kamoa Copper, operating out of Kamoa Kakula mine, signed a ten-year agreement with Lualaba copper smelter (LCS), of China Nonferrous Metal...Read More
The Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbtrade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were generally weaker on Thursday June 3 morning, although nickel bucked the trend on both exchanges.Brent crude oil continues to rally, reaching $71.71 on Thursday morning.China's Caixin services purchasing manager's index eases to 55.1 in May, from 56.3 in April.Base metalsLME three-month base metals prices were genera...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday June 3 that are worth another look.Russia's largest steelmaker, Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), will start producing hot-briquetted iron (HBI) and increase its iron ore and pellet output by 2027-2028, the company told Fastmarkets.BHP, the majority owner and operator of...Read More
China's customs authorities will no longer require imports of some hot-rolled and cold-rolled coil to undergo inspections from June 10, the General Administration of Customs said on Tuesday June 1.The products affected, under the 10-digit Harmonized System (HS) code, include:7208261000 Other high-strength HRC of a thickness of 3mm or more but less than 4.75mm 7208269000 Other HRC of a thickness...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices continued to increase on Thursday June 3 on futures gains, but heavy rains slowed the increase compared with Wednesday's uptick, sources told Fastmarkets. DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,030-5,050 yuan ($787-790) per tonne, up by 30 yuan per tonne The transportation of rebar by truck and construction activity were interrupted by heavy rains in certain parts of eas...Read More
Index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 10 points in pre-opening trade.U.S. equity futures moved slightly higher following release of the May employment report at 8:30 AM EDT. May Non-farm Payrolls were expected to increase to 671,000 from upwardly revised 278,000 in April. Actual was 559,000. May Unemployment Rate was expected to slip to 5.9% from 6.1% in April. Actual...Read More