Trafigura has purchased a sizeable amount of rival merchant Cliveden's copper trading book, increasing what was already said to be the world's biggest copper trading book by volume.The relevant parties have been in discussions for weeks on a deal, which was tabled after Zug-based Cliveden contacted trading houses for assistance in financing copper concentrate cargoes, multiple sources confirmed.So...Read More
Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."Not everyone will agree with his assessment of the petroleum, gas and coal sectors, which have powered the world's growth for decades. Nonetheless, the twin goals of supply chain security and sustainability are now driving a t...Read More
The price of steel rebar in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was broadly stable in the week to June 1, backed by solid demand from end-users as well as tight availability, sources told Fastmarkets.Severstal was offering June-delivery rebar at 75,000 roubles ($1,022) per tonne, sources said, the same as last week.Several sources said that Tula Steel, another major supplier, was offer...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained quiet in the deep-sea scrap market and instead continued to focus on finished steel, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday June 1.The most recent deep-sea trade was done at the end of last week, when a steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo, comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $503 per tonne and shredded scrap at $513 per tonne cfr.The US cargo resulted a furth...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday June 1 that are worth another look.Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."German carmaker Volkswagen will halt...Read More
Iron ore prices rose on Tuesday June 1 continuing the upward trend from Monday amid firmer demand and a return of liquidity to both the physical spot market and at the Chinese ports, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $208.67 per tonne, up $9.84 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $211.04 per tonne, up $9.78 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cf...Read More
Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."Not everyone will agree with his assessment of the petroleum, gas and coal sectors, which have powered the world's growth for decades. Nonetheless, the twin goals of supply chain security and sustainability are now driving a t...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in the EU increased in the week to Friday May 28, supported by continuing coil shortages and good demand.The mood in the market, however, has changed due to a decline of prices in China.Sentiment in the European coil segment has turned from bullish to mixed, with buyers starting to believe that a recent price correction in China might put an end to the price ris...Read More
London Metal Exchange prices were mostly unchanged on the first trading day of this month, but maintained the bullish tone they struck at the end of May at the close on Tuesday June 1, given a release of positive economic data."A short-lived pullback seen in the base-metals complex suggests that underlying sentiment remains very bullish, with dip buyers welcoming lower prices with open arms," Fast...Read More
German carmaker Volkswagen will halt production at two sites in Brazil for 10 days due to the global semiconductor chip shortage, the company told Fastmarkets on Tuesday June 1.Units in S??o Jos?(C) dos Pinhais, a city in the southern state of Paran??, and in Taubat?(C), in the southeastern state of S??o Paulo, will cease activities for a 10-day period starting on June 7, the company said."A signi...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were mixed this morning, Wednesday June 2 - zinc and tin prices were up on both exchanges and were looking robust, while the others have lost recent upward momentum.* Brent crude oil is back above $70 per barrel, the highest it has been for two years. * Tuesday’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) d...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Recent weeks have brought two key developments with regard to trade policy on stainless steel products that will be to the detriment of consumers.In China, the country's stainless steelmakers no longer enjoy a 13% export rebate as of May 1, reducing greatly their incentive to export and instead leading them to focus on supply...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Bulk ferro-alloy prices have shown impressive gains again this month, with ferro-silicon, silicon metal and manganese alloy prices all making significant increases. Noble alloy markets also enjoyed upward momentum, with both vanadium and molybdenum prices rising sharply.Recovering demand from steelmakers globally, together w...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday June 1 that are worth another look.Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."German carmaker Volkswagen will halt...Read More
Brazil-headquartered Minera????o Vale Verde (MVV) completed construction of the Serrote copper-gold project in the northeastern Alagoas state ahead of schedule and expects its first concentrate shipment to be made in November, its parent company Appian Capital Advisory said on Tuesday June 1.The mining company will ramp up production during the second half of the year aiming to ship high-grade cop...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices held above $80 per hundredweight ($1,600 per ton) for the sixth consecutive business day after market participants said that there continues to be more demand than the spot market can supply in the next couple months.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $80.08 per cwt ($1,601.60 per short ton) on Tuesday June 1, a decrease of 0.46% fr...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday June 1 that are worth another look.Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."German carmaker Volkswagen will halt...Read More
Austria Metall AG (AMAG), a producer of aluminium cast and flat rolled material has shipped its first aluminium certified under the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) chain of custody standard, the company has said, with the customer being German carmaker Audi.The metal has been sent to the Audi plant in Neckarsulm, Germany, and will be used for the outer body sheet of the tailgate for the A6...Read More
Brazil-headquartered Minera????o Vale Verde (MVV) completed construction of the Serrote copper-gold project in the northeastern Alagoas state ahead of schedule and expects its first concentrate shipment to be made in November, its parent company Appian Capital Advisory said on Tuesday June 1.The mining company will ramp up production during the second half of the year aiming to ship high-grade cop...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 3 points in pre-opening trade. Zoom Video advanced $6.68 to $334.00 after reporting higher than consensus first quarter revenues and earnings. Deutsche Bank raised its target price from $360 to $375. IMAX dropped $0.34 to $21.93 after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to SellFedEx added $1.26 to $312.11 after JP Morga...Read More