The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.With nickel prices down by almost 20% over the space of around ten days during late February and early March, one might have been expecting us to be reporting sharply-lower prices of stainless steel, at least for the most common nickel-containing grades of stainless steel.This is not the case, at least in Europe and the Unite...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.We spoke in our previous tracker of stainless steel prices ending 2020 on a high. That trend has continued during early 2021 and, in fact, the upward rally in prices has increased its momentum.Compared with the monthly price increase of some 5% seen at the end of 2020, prices for grade-304 stainless steel in al...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Prices of stainless steel are generally set to reach highs for the year as 2020 comes to a close. For the most common nickel-containing grades of stainless steel, this upward trend is being driven above all by rising nickel prices, which themselves are hitting relatively high levels into the end of 2020.The price increases si...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday April 13.Please click...Read More
Aluminium's futures price traded close to its 2021 year-to-date high at the close of trading on the London Metal Exchange on Tuesday April 13, while most metals recovered their losses from Monday because of a tumble in the US Dollar Index.The three-month price of aluminium closed at $2,993 per tonne at 5pm, but had reached $2,295 per tonne during trading, just $6 per tonne below its year-to-date h...Read More
The US Midwest aluminium premium climbed to its highest point in more than six years on Tuesday April 13, supported by rising global premiums and shrinking supply.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium P1020A premium, ddp Midwest US at 22.5-23.5 cents per lb on April 13, up by 2.22% from 22-23 cents per lb previously and its highest since February 18, 2015, when the premium was assessed at 23.75-...Read More
Brian Helsel, president of the American Tin Trade Association, tells Fastmarkets how he foresaw the recent squeeze on tin markets last year, recalls a turbulent time for trading and discusses the outlook for the metal.There were many pings in the background on a frenetic trading day for Brian Helsel, president of the American Tin Trade Association, when he spoke to Fastmarkets about a tin shortage...Read More
Visible progress has been made toward network readiness and availability of 5G telecommunications in the first quarter of 2021, after delays last year resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, sources have told Fastmarkets.To date this year, there has been already a significant ramping-up of the uptake of 5G devices. The Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), in its 5G devices summary for March 20...Read More
Prices in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) export steel billet market continued to climb on support from demand in Latin America while momentum in China slowed down, sources told Fastmarkets."Everyone in the CIS is now offering [billet] at a minimum of $600 per tonne fob Black Sea," one trader said.Some market participants reported offers from the CIS at up to $605 per tonne fob Black...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe continued to rise on Tuesday April 13 due to a material shortage, market sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Northern Europe at ?,?905.00 ($1,077.07) per tonne on Tuesday April 13, up by ?,?3.33 per tonne from ?,?901.67 per tonne on April 12.The index was up by ?,?20.99 per tonne...Read More
Flat steel import prices to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia increased sharply in the week to Tuesday April 13 despite weak demand, sources told Fastmarkets.The weakness in demand was attributed to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan that started on the evening of April 12, traditionally a slow period for both countries amid reduced working hours.But uncertainty on rebates fo...Read More
Flat-rolled steel product export prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) reached a new high during the week to Monday April 12 on suppliers' bullish mood after they increased offers again, sources said.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil (HRC), export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $895-915 per tonne on April 12, up from $885-895 per tonne a week before."Local...Read More
Demand for long steel products was weak in the United Arab Emirates during the week to Tuesday April 13, with prices close to those heard last week, sources told Fastmarkets.The Islamic holy month of Ramadan started on April 12, and demand was unlikely to improve over the period because of the traditionally reduced working hours.In addition, there were hardly any new projects in the country, and s...Read More
A summary of operational results for Russia's largest steelmaker, Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), for the January-March quarter of 2021. The company also has assets in Europe and the United States.In brief Steel product sales to export markets fell to 1.2 million tonnes, down by 21% quarter on quarter, with a decline in pig iron sales but a rise in intragroup slab deliveries. Sales in home markets incre...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices stopped their downward trend on Tuesday April 13 following a recovery in the futures market, Fastmarkets heard.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,980-5,000 yuan ($760-764) per tonne, up by 10-20 yuan per tonneRebar futures rebounded from two days' of decreasing on the positive news from the futures market.Spot rebar prices followed suit but rose by just 10-20...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices rallied on Tuesday April 13 following gains in the futures market, but export offers from mills were mixed due to the lingering uncertainty surrounding a reduction in the export rebate.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,410-5,500 yuan ($826-840) per tonne, up 60-110 yuan per tonneA Shanghai-based trader said spot sellers there were offered 5,410-5,430 yuan per tonne...Read More
Stronger global demand for higher-grade steel scrap was justification for higher premiums for quality materials, market participants said during Fastmarkets' virtual conference on Scrap, DRI and Mini-Mills on Tuesday April 13.Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, in addition to China, have increasing needs for higher-quality scrap, leveling the grade demand a...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to avoid deep-sea ferrous scrap bookings due to weak finished steel sales, market sources said on Tuesday April 13.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Canadian cargo at the end of the last week comprising 35,000 tonnes of a 95:5 mix of No1 and No2 heavy melting scrap and 15,000 tonnes of shredded at an average price of $436 per tonne cfr, caus...Read More
Stephen Montague tells Fastmarkets about his passion on the importance of people in his company's success and the attitude and focus needed to have a positive impact in a decarbonizing steel industry.'We want people who have the mindset to really love and serve others' - President & CEOMidrex Technologies, owned by Kobe Steel of Japan, sets great store in the development of the major direct-r...Read More
The premium hard coking coal price continued higher in the cfr market on April Tuesday 13, reflecting a supply shortage both in domestic and import premium cargoes.The fob price was pressured lower by relatively sufficient supply and limited buying interest, market sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $112.59 per tonne, down $1.27 per tonnePremium hard co...Read More