The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.In a webinar we conducted on Asian ferro alloys, our research team discussed the Chinese authorities' announcing some major infrastructure investments that will increase demand for steel and steel raw materials, including iron ore. Our research shows that the recent infrastructure investment announcements are equal to about...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices are relatively stable this month, showing little change since our previous tracker. Such stability masks growing issues for stainless steelmakers, however, who are increasingly unable to pass on rising costs to consumers and are, thus, facing cuts to their margins.In general, this is due to an excess of...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Friday July 24, with a continued uptrend in the numbers of Covid-19 cases in the US prompting broad risk-off sentiment across the country's trading hours.Disappointing US manufacturing data added further headwinds.Copper's outright price on the LME was the biggest loser on the day, declining by...Read More
The Chinese domestic alumina price fell on Thursday July 23 in response to plans to resume idled alumina capacities and due to a contracting aluminium price on the Shanghai Futures Exchange. Market sources told Fastmarkets 2.1 million tonnes of idled alumina capacity will restart at the end of July while another 1 million is expected to resume in August. The decision to restart the capacity was ta...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange softened during morning trading on Friday July 24, with positive manufacturing data out of Europe and a continued drawdown in LME stocks doing little to stop a complex-wide correction, that saw most metals decline by more than 1%. Leading on the downside this morning, LME nickel's outright price was recently at $13,475 per tonne, notching...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
The manganese ore index 37% Mn, cif Tianjin, has soared and slumped since March, with South African supply initially tightening and then ramping back up after restrictions were lifted.Read More
Fastmarkets' copper concentrates treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) index shifted higher on Friday July 24 due to shipments from Chile continuing despite concerns over potential coronavirus shutdowns. The benchmark copper concentrate TC/RC index, cif Asia Pacific rebounded from $45.60 per tonne / 4.56 cents per lb last week, the lowest level since Fastmarkets started publishing the index...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States during the week ending Friday July 24. China The UG2 chrome ore market edged down to consolidate around the $132 per tonne level where liquidity was reported in the previous week. The domestic spot ferro-chrome price edged downward due to bearish sentiment amid the recent slump in ore prices. The imported charg...Read More
The spot cobalt metal price in China continued to rally in the second half of the week following upturns in the local futures market since Thursday and a slight improvement in consumers' restocking appetite. Fastmarkets' assessment for cobalt 99.8% Co min, exw China rose to 255,000-265,000 yuan ($36,363-37,789) per tonne (equivalent to approx. $14.59-15.16 per lb, less China VAT) on Friday Ju...Read More
The Chinese domestic ferro-silicon market dipped in the most recent trading session due to the continuing sluggish downstream magnesium market and easing supply concerns, with smelters ramping up their operations. Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-silicon 75% Si min, in-whs China was 5,800-5,900 yuan ($828-842) per tonne on Wednesday July 22, down by 100 yuan (1.7%) from 5,900-6,000 yua...Read More
Turkish steel mills stayed out of the deep-sea scrap market on Friday July 24, but still ended the week having booked around 248,000 tonnes of scrap, sources told Fastmarkets.Despite the quiet Friday, news emerged of a US cargo booked on Wednesday July 22, with a steel mill in the Iskenderun region making the booking at $269.50 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20). The cargo composition was not clear...Read More
The base metals were polarized this morning, Friday July 24, with prices on the London Metal Exchange down across the board, while the opposite was true for those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange.Asian-Pacific equities and major western pre-market equity futures indices were in negative territory this morning. Haven assets like gold, US treasuries and the yen are all pointing to a pick-up in inves...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
The spot cobalt metal price in China continued to rally in the second half of the week following upturns in the local futures market since Thursday and a slight improvement in consumers' restocking appetite. Fastmarkets' assessment for cobalt 99.8% Co min, exw China rose to 255,000-265,000 yuan ($36,363-37,789) per tonne (equivalent to approx. $14.59-15.16 per lb, less China VAT) on Friday Ju...Read More
The Chinese spot market for battery-grade lithium carbonate held steady in the week to Thursday July 23 on improved downstream demand and firm industrial-grade carbonate prices. China's battery-grade lithium carbonate prices were stable on improved demandIndustrial-grade lithium carbonate prices remained firm in ChinaPrices were unchanged in China's lithium hydroxide marketAsian battery-grade lith...Read More
The majority of South American import prices for flat-rolled steel went up during the week to Friday July 24 with new offers getting more expensive and lower bids from customers being rejected.Importers, on the other hand, were increasingly looking elsewhere for their steel product needs, because their tentative buying prices were not accepted. Market participants were reporting more deals for Bra...Read More
Turkish prices in the domestic market for hot-dipped galvanized coil (HDG) and color-coated coil increased in the week to Friday July 24, supported by higher feedstock prices, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HDG, domestic, exw Turkey, was $610-625 per tonne on July 24, up by $5-15 per tonne over the week from $605-610 per tonne on July 17.And Fastmarket...Read More
Domestic prices for both hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil in Turkey have increased over the week to Friday July 24, supported by higher raw material costs, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel HRC, domestic, exw Turkey, was $450-460 per tonne on July 24, up by $10 per tonne week on week from $440-450 per tonne on July 17.The assessment was based on avera...Read More
ArcelorMittal M?(C)xico's integrated steel mill at L??zaro C??rdenas, in the country's western Michoac??n state, has been partly closed by local municipal officials because of alleged tax irregularities, the company said on Thursday July 23.The L??zaro C??rdenas city authorities claim that ArcelorMittal has failed to pay its full property taxes in the past six years, and have demanded payment of 1...Read More