The seaborne prices of both low- and high-grade manganese ore rose sharply in the week ended Friday January 8 after miners successfully raised their offer prices for February shipments with strong buying appetite from the alloy sector. Fastmarkets' manganese ore index 37% Mn, cif Tianjin soared by 41 cents (10%) week on week to $4.53 per dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) on Friday from $4.12 per d...Read More
China's nickel pig iron (NPI) price rose in the week to Friday January 8, supported by gains in the stainless steel market, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets assessed the price of nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China at 1,090-1,120 yuan ($168-173) per nickel unit on Friday, up by 10-20 yuan per nickel unit (1.4%) from 1,080-1,100 yuan per nickel unit a week earlier.St...Read More
Soaring freight rates and tightening availability for prompt material pushed European manganese flake prices to a three-year high in the week ended Friday January 8, with more increases expected this week, market sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' price assessment for manganese, 99.7% electrolytic manganese flake, in-whs Rotterdam, jumped by 6.8% to $2,450-2,550 per tonne on Friday from th...Read More
The US ferrous scrap market has mostly settled for January, with market participants hinting that while tight No1 busheling may see continued upside in February, shredded scrap has become plentiful and has likely peaked.Detroit kicked off trading on Wednesday January 6, while activity in the Chicago market dragged into Monday January 11.Fastmarkets' assessments of the consumer buying prices f...Read More
Turkish auto bundle scrap prices have gone down slightly over the past week in line with the strengthening of the country's lira against the US dollar, market sources said on Monday January 11.Domestic prices for long steel products and, therefore, auto bundle scrap in Turkey typically decrease in line with the stronger lira because mills buy most of their raw materials in dollars and sell their f...Read More
China's regulatory reboot to again become a major steel scrap importer is likely to cause supply problems for other consumers of Japanese material, market participants have told Fastmarkets.The first deals signed by Chinese companies after rules changed on December 31 to officially allow the restart of scrap imports to China have all been for vessels of Japanese material.If this continues, China's...Read More
Base metals prices were for the most part weaker during morning trading on Monday January 11, while the dollar was firmer in line with strong US treasury yields. Asian-Pacific equities were mixed, while pre-market major western equity index futures were weakerBase metals Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part weaker this morning, the exceptions were lead...Read More
United States-based lithium producer Albemarle Corp has submitted additional information on its lithium reserves to the Chilean Nuclear Agency (CCHEN) following a formal request on Monday January 4. In the letter, CCHEN - which licenses lithium exports for companies operating in Chile - called on Albemarle to provide further details of its lithium reserves. Albemarle operates a lithium production...Read More
The Chinese nickel sulfate market marked a strong start to 2021, with the price climbing above its previous 2020 high amid good demand and limited supply, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets assessed the price of nickel sulfate min 21%, max 22.5%, cobalt 10ppm max, exw China at 31,000-31,500 yuan ($4,786-4,864) per tonne on Friday January 8, a level last reached on October 11, 2019, up by 500-1,...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday January 11 that are worth another look.Brazilian flat steel producers have applied price increases of around 15% on sales to distributors, motivated by high raw materials costs and sustained higher steel prices globally.Read More
Prices for domestic steel hot-rolled coil increased slightly in Northern Europe in the week to Friday January 8, with ArcelorMittal pushing its offer prices further upward.Market sources expected that domestic prices would continue to rise through January with buyers facing continuing supply shortages.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, at ?...Read More
Brazilian flat steel producers have applied price increases of around 15% on sales to distributors, motivated by high raw materials costs and sustained higher steel prices globally. The increase is in addition to the 10% rise in prices applied in December by most steelmakers.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, domestic, monthly, exw Brazil was 5,080-5,10...Read More
The prospects for the global long-steel market for the first quarter of 2021 remained rather optimistic, with upward momentum in pricing expected to continue, supported by short supply, although the outlook for the second quarter was unclear, the International Rebar Producers & Exporters Association (Irepas) said last week.Overall, regional markets across the globe performed well in the fourth qua...Read More
Brazilian domestic rebar prices reached a new record high once again in early January, after steelmakers increased their offers by 12-12.5%, market participants told Fastmarkets.Sources reported persistent low availability from mills, long lead times and no room for discounts. Most suppliers, they said, were offering and selling at similar, higher prices.Fastmarkets' price assessment for ...Read More
The domestic rebar market in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was quiet in the week to January 11 with market activity slowly starting to recover after the holiday break and most producers expecting to issue new prices for January deliveries later this week, several sources told Fastmarkets.Most major rebar producers in the region were yet to announce new offers for rebar in the dom...Read More
The US ferrous scrap market has mostly settled for January, with market participants hinting that while tight No1 busheling may see continued upside in February, shredded scrap has become plentiful and has likely peaked.Detroit kicked off trading on Wednesday January 6, while activity in the Chicago market dragged into Monday January 11.Fastmarkets' assessments of the consumer buying prices f...Read More
Turkish auto bundle scrap prices have gone down slightly over the past week in line with the strengthening of the country's lira against the US dollar, market sources said on Monday January 11.Domestic prices for long steel products and, therefore, auto bundle scrap in Turkey typically decrease in line with the stronger lira because mills buy most of their raw materials in dollars and sell their f...Read More
Iron ore prices mostly declined on Monday January 11 along with futures, however, high-grade fines performed well due to tight supply, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $172.13 per tonne,down $0.93 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $172.25 per tonne,down $1.08 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $157.87 per tonne,down...Read More
Ford Motor Co announced that it will cease manufacturing activities in Brazil following "years of significant losses" and idle capacity exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.The automaker said on Monday January 11 that it will stop operating three plants in the country - one in Ca??amari city, in northeastern Bahia state; one in Taubat?(C) city, in southeastern S??o Paulo state; and a third one in...Read More
Turkey's Ministry of Trade announced on Saturday January 9 the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation into imports of hot-rolled flat steel from the European Union and South Korea.The products under investigation are under HS codes 7208.10.00, 7208.25.00, 7208.26.00, 7208.27.00, 7208.36.00, 7208.37.00, 7208.38.00, 7208.39.00, 7208.40.00, 7208.52.10, 7208.52.99, 7208.53.10, 7208.53.90, 7208.54...Read More