A summary of China's battery raw materials imports for April 2021.In brief Imports of cobalt metal fell in April after March - when shipments of the material hit a new historical monthly high - but the volume surged year-on-year against a much lower import volume amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.Imports of cobalt intermediates were up on both a monthly and yearly...Read More
The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange recorded the biggest decrease on the morning of Monday May 24, with the rest of the base metals complex continuing to consolidate following last week's decline. The zinc price was down to $2,927 per tonne on Monday at 9am from Friday's closing price of $2,971 per tonne, when it rose by a slight $12. The galvanizing metal price fell by 1.4% o...Read More
Base metals prices on the LME were mainly weaker on the morning of Monday May 24, while those on the SHFE were down across the board in response to attempts by the Chinese authorities to inhibit price increases. Power shortages in China, brought on by drought and emissions controls, are forcing some metal producers to reduce output. Proposed infrastructure plans in the United States face having to...Read More
Chinese new energy battery materials producer Huayou Cobalt has signed a contract to set up a joint venture in Indonesia for hydrometallurgical process nickel laterite ore with other four partners, the company said on Sunday May 23.Under the contract, Huayou Cobalt will hold a 21% stake in the joint venture - which involves a total investment of $2.08 billion - while the remaining...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States broke a new record for the seventh time this month, surging above $80 per hundredweight ($1,600 per short ton) for the first time on Monday May 24, the highest since Fastmarkets started covering the market in 1960.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $80.02 per cwt ($1,600.40 per ton) on Monday, up by 1.88% from $...Read More
Fastmarkets has corrected its weekly steel wire rod export, fob Black Sea, CIS assessment, which was published erroneously on Monday May 24 due to an input data submitted by a data submitter by mistake. The data submitter subsequently corrected their submission, leading to Fastmarkets amending the price assessment. The steel wire rod export, fob Black Sea, CIS (MB-STE-0017) price should have...Read More
Material shortages and strong demand continued to support the increase in domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in northern Europe on Monday May 24, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, ex-works northern Europe at ?,?1,131.25 ($1,377.90) per tonne on Monday, up by ?,?14.58 per tonne from ?,?1,116.67 per tonne on Friday.The index was up by ?...Read More
Steel rebar offer prices in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow increased sharply in the week to Monday May 24, supported by tight availability and pricey exports.Major steelmaker Severstal was offering material at higher prices, sources told Fastmarkets, but added that end users were insisting on discounts.Severstal was offering June-delivery rebar at 75,000 ($1,018) roubles...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to book deep-sea scrap for July shipments at higher prices on Monday May 24 even as market sentiment turned negative, sources told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo comprising 19,000 tonnes of heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20), 11,000 tonnes of shredded, 8,000 tonnes of bonus and 2,000 tonnes of busheling at an average price o...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices continued to strengthen in the week to Monday May 24 on increasing imported scrap values, market sources said.Steel producers in Turkey booked at least four deep-sea cargoes during the past week. The most recent deal was done on Thursday May 20, when a steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo at $507.50 per tonne cfr on an HMS 1&2 (80:20) basis.Fa...Read More
Iron ore prices fell further on Monday May 24 amid weakening sentiment, after reports that Chinese officials had held further discussions on Sunday about how to curb high commodities prices, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $192.42 per tonne, down $8.30 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $193.87 per tonne, down $9.19 per tonne58% Fe fine...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 14 points in pre-opening trade. The TSX Composite Index also is expected to open higher reflecting strength in U.S. equity indices yesterday and strong increases in Far East equity markets in overnight trade. Notable was a 2.40% increase in the Shanghai Composite Index led by gains in the technology sector. Amazon gain...Read More
(Updates prices, adds comment) By Pratima Desai LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - Copper prices rose on Monday as asofter dollar spurred modest purchases, but gains were capped byconcerns over price curbs on industrial metals in top consumerChina. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME)was up 0.6% to $9,939 a tonne at 1600 GMT.However, prices of the metal, used widely in the power andconstruc...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 21 that are worth another look.The export price for pig iron from the south of Brazil increased again in the week to May 21, on continuing strong demand and long lead times, with suppliers said to be sold...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 21 that are worth another look.The export price for pig iron from the south of Brazil increased again in the week to May 21, on continuing strong demand and long lead times, with suppliers said to be sold...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 21 that are worth another look.The export price for pig iron from the south of Brazil increased again in the week to May 21, on continuing strong demand and long lead times, with suppliers said to be sold...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 21 that are worth another look.The export price for pig iron from the south of Brazil increased again in the week to May 21, on continuing strong demand and long lead times, with suppliers said to be sold...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 21 that are worth another look.The export price for pig iron from the south of Brazil increased again in the week to May 21, on continuing strong demand and long lead times, with suppliers said to be sold...Read More
Most U.S. equity indices moved slightly lower again last week. Greatest influences on North American equity markets remain evidence of a possible third wave of the coronavirus (negative) and continued expansion of distribution of a vaccine (positive). ObservationsThe S&P 500 Index is following its historic seasonal pattern for this time of year, a mixed, choppy period between early May a...Read More
Base metals prices on the LME were mainly weaker on the morning of Monday May 24, while those on the SHFE were down across the board in response to attempts by the Chinese authorities to inhibit price increases.* Power shortages in China, brought on by drought and emissions controls, are forcing some metal producers to reduce output.* Proposed infrastructure plans in the United States face having...Read More