UC Rusal's credit may suffer from a $2.1 billion fine imposed on Nornickel, almost 28% of which is owned by Rusal, Fitch Ratings said.A drop in dividends Rusal normally receives from Nornickel coupled with weak aluminium markets through 2021, could see Rusal becoming further indebted, the credit rating agency said on Thursday July 9. Fitch based its scenario on Nornickel paying in full this year t...Read More
Japanese carmaker Honda has acquired about 1% of the shares in Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) through a non-public issuance of stocks, with the intention of securing a stable supply of batteries from the Chinese firm, the two companies said in a joint statement on Friday July 10.The investment is part of a strategic agreement between the two companies which will inclu...Read More
Spot payables for cobalt hydroxide consolidated at four-month highs last week, with support from sellers' continued cautious approach to additional sales outside long-term agreements. Fastmarkets' cobalt hydroxide payable indicator min 30% Co, cif China held at 66-68% on Friday July 10, its highest level since March 11 (taking the mid-point of the range). Short-lived border closures in Africa, on...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States rose slightly on Monday July 13 while demand remained flat and market participants shared mixed outlooks.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $23.58 per hundredweight ($471.60 per short ton) on Monday, a 1.4% increase from $23.25 per cwt on Friday July 10 but 2% lower than $24.06 per cwt a week earlier on July 6.I...Read More
Domestic prices for steel hot-rolled coil moved up across Europe in the week ended Friday July 10, supported by the continuing lack of competitive import offers.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was calculated at ?,?404.00 ($456.48) per tonne on July 10, up by ?,?2.00 per tonne week on week and by ?,?6.08 per tonne month on month.Friday's index was base...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were largely stable day on day on Monday July 13, but prices were likely to move upward supported by the lack of competitive imports, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was calculated at ?,?403.13 ($453.24) per tonne on Monday, down by just ?,?0.87 per tonne from ?,?404.00 pe...Read More
Demand for steel rebar in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow was reported be good in the week to Monday July 13, driven by a recovering construction sector and with prices being largely stable, sources have told Fastmarkets.Construction activity in the region was reported to be strong, with traded rebar volumes being "healthy," sources said."Construction may be not as good as it was l...Read More
An earthquake in Tangshan failed to affect China's rebar prices on Monday July 13, with prices gaining due to bullish sentiment caused by rising futures prices.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,600-3,620 yuan ($514-517) per tonne, up 30 yuan per tonneSources told Fastmarkets that sellers in Shanghai had raised their prices based on futures gains. However, physical trading was sparse with f...Read More
There was limited spot trade in the Singapore rebar import market this past week due to the slow resumption of downstream construction activity and high inventory levels in the country, market sources told Fastmarkets."Many steel fabricators have months of inventories still on hand and are not looking to purchase anything," a buyer source in Singapore told Fastmarkets on Thursday July 9.Turkish an...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 13 that are worth another look.Brazilian miner Vale has entered into a non-binding agreement with Japanese companies Kobe Steel and Mitsui to form a low-emission steel joint venture, it said in a filing to Brazil's securities commission CVM on July 13.Russian multi-metal miner Nornickel reported a second Arctic fuel spill durin...Read More
Brazilian miner Vale has entered into a non-binding agreement with Japanese companies Kobe Steel and Mitsui to form a low-emission steel joint venture, it said in a filing to Brazil's securities commission CVM on Monday July 13.Vale will supply metallic and steelmaking solutions with low greenhouse gas emissions to both steelmakers, it added. The final approval for the new venture is subject to an...Read More
The UK market for deliveries of steel scrap to domestic consumers has dropped month-on-month in line with demand, with steelmakers positioning their smelting schedules for the seasonal summer slowdown.But there was enough support to avoid significantly steeper losses, market sources told Fastmarkets on Monday July 13.Consumers of steel scrap in the UK were expected to cut production in late July a...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 13 that are worth another look.Brazilian miner Vale has entered into a non-binding agreement with Japanese companies Kobe Steel and Mitsui to form a low-emission steel joint venture, it said in a filing to Brazil's securities commission CVM on July 13.Russian multi-metal miner Nornickel reported a second Arctic fuel spill durin...Read More
Export prices for steel billet from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) continued to rise over the week to Monday July 13, supported by a fresh sale and a positive mood in China.A cargo of Ukraine-origin wire rod-quality billet was reported sold to the Mediterranean Sea basin at $373 per tonne fob Black Sea late last week, Fastmarkets has learnt.The price for wire rod-quality material is...Read More
The export price for CIS-origin steel slab surged in the week to Monday July 13 with customers in Europe accepting higher prices in their latest bookings. In addition, Chinese buyers also showed a readiness to pay higher prices amid stronger demand.Offers of CIS-origin slab were heard in Turkey and Europe within the range of $395-400 per tonne cfr last week, although some mills reported even highe...Read More
Steel plate prices in the United States held steady after declines in the previous two weeks, with buyers still satisfied that they do not need to commit to any major inventory replenishment.Demand for plate has suffered after the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors dealt a blow to end-market sectors in the second quarter. The advent of the third quarter has failed to bring succor so far, with fer...Read More
Brazilian miner Vale has entered into a non-binding agreement with Japanese companies Kobe Steel and Mitsui to form a low-emission steel joint venture, it said in a filing to Brazil's securities commission CVM on Monday July 13.Vale will supply metallic and steelmaking solutions with low greenhouse gas emissions to both steelmakers, it added. The final approval for the new venture is subject to an...Read More
Vietnamese integrated steel producer Hoa Phat was forced to halt steel output at its blast furnace (BF) No1 in Dung Quat over the weekend after a fire started at the mill, Fastmarkets understands.The fire emerged on Saturday July 11 at Hoa Phat's sprawling Dung Quat complex in Quang Ngai province and was started at BF No1. The furnace in question was forced to halt operations on Saturday and resum...Read More
Seaborne iron ore concentrate and pellet trading with limited by poor demand in China last week, but bullish futures and fines markets led to a rise in prices, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 66% Fe concentrate, cfr Qingdao stood at $112.61 per tonne on Thursday July 9, up by $4.73 per tonne (4.4%) from $107.88 per tonne a week earlier. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday July 13 that are worth another look.Brazilian miner Vale has entered into a non-binding agreement with Japanese companies Kobe Steel and Mitsui to form a low-emission steel joint venture, it said in a filing to Brazil's securities commission CVM on July 13.Russian multi-metal miner Nornickel reported a second Arctic fuel spill durin...Read More