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 are ready to view.Judging by a recent webinar we conducted on Asian ferroalloys last week, many market participants believe the steel and steelmaking raw materials' world - outside of China - will record an 'L' shaped recovery, effectively failing to recover. With crude steel production outside of China falling close to a third in April and o...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.The recent price fall in the iron ore market signals the start of a downturn, after prices averaged at the highest level in almost a year in June. A combination of both supply-related events in Brazil and demand factors in China have put pressure on prices. Vale has received permit to resume mining operations in Itabira, whi...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
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices are on the increase in June. As far as this market is concerned, it appears as though the Covid-19 pandemic has had little impact so far, with prices on the most common grades of stainless steel just 2-4% lower than they were at the turn of the year in most markets.Even in Asia, a region often talked ab...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Having first hit Asia during early 2020, the Covid-19 viral outbreak is now having an even bigger impact on European countries and the US. Widespread lockdown measures have been put in place on people and industry, and economic activity has slowed markedly.For now, stainless steel markets in Europe and the US are yet to show...Read More
Brazilian steel slab export prices narrowed downward in the week ended Friday July 10 because the country's quota for steel imports into the United States has approached its limit.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, narrowed downward by $10 for the second consecutive week on Friday, to $375-380 per tonne, from $375-390 per tonne a week earlier.Past of...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States during the week ending Friday July 10.Europe The high-carbon market continued to soften in response to weakening demand with Europe entering the summer slowdown.The low-carbon ferro-chrome market tumbled further to a multi-year low with producers slashing offer prices to win available...Read More
The posting of 1.81 trillion yuan in new Chinese loans early in the European trading session on Friday July 10 led to a rally across all London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices.LME base metals futures moved higher as fund positioning became less bearish, with bids moving into firmly bullish territory, and all metals, apart from tin, ended the day up compared with Thursday's close."You...Read More
A vast amount of investment will be required to achieve meaningful change in the carbon footprint of aluminium across a broad portion of the industry, and the commercial impetus is not there yet, according to the secretary general of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). Nonetheless, the industry needs to meet the challenge of changing consumer expectations and work together to collectively...Read More
Aluminium has an opportunity to play a key role in the government-led rebuilding of economies following the Covid-19 pandemic, including in the drive to a low-carbon economy as well as developments in infrastructure, transportation and construction, the secretary general of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) said.Miles Prosser told Fastmarkets in an interview that this opportunity wi...Read More
Caution over South American copper mining supply disruption weighed on processing charges for copper concentrate in the week to Friday July 10. This week, miner-to-trader deals were most settled in the range of the mid-$30s to low $40s per tonne, although a Carmen concentrate tender for delivery in the second half of this year was reportedly awarded at numbers below $30 per tonne / 3 cents per lb....Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
KSM Castings has become the second German diecaster to start administrative proceedings due to Covid-19, with the company filing for bankruptcy on July 2, sources close to the matter told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets understands the company, based in Hildesheim, Germany, began voluntary administration proceedings at Hildesheim District Court in a bid to restructure and reposition itself in what many p...Read More
China is unlikely to dominate production growth in the aluminium market in the next two decades in the same way it has over the past 20 years, according to the secretary general of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI).There are several reasons for this, including a move by the Chinese government to shift the focus to high-value aluminium products and cap smelting capacity at around current...Read More
The domestic rebar price in Brazil increased in July, with a 10% hike successfully implemented by producers due to previous moves to reduce supplies to match falling demand and due to resilience in the construction sector amid the Covid-19 pandemic.Fastmarkets' latest price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar) domestic monthly, delivered Brazil was 2,410-2,530 Reais ($451-474) per tonne on...Read More
The price range for exports of India-origin hot-rolled coil has widened, with the country's mills booking shipments to regions besides the traditional export outlets in Southeast Asia.The price of steel hot-rolled coil (commodity), export, fob main port India, was assessed by Fastmarkets at $420-435 per tonne on Friday July 10, widening downward from last week's assessment at $430-435 per tonne.Ac...Read More
Import prices of flat-rolled steel increased slightly in South America during the week to Friday July 10 because new offers for September-shipment cargoes continued the recent uptrend.Demand from the continent was also expected to recover, with Peru, Colombia and Ecuador slowly returning to the market following a long quarantine period intended to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in those countries....Read More
European steel producers have been limiting their outputs in accordance with the persistently weak levels of current demand, especially from the automotive industry, while the region recovers from Covid-19-pandemic lockdowns.Tata Steel EuropeTata Steel Europe was reported to have been working at about a 70% capacity utilization rate from April 1 to June 30, the company said in a provisional report...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were largely stable day on day on Friday July 10, but steelmakers are pushing for price rises, sources told Fastmarkets.Domestic HRC prices across Europe have been supported by lack of workable import offers and tougher safeguard measures.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe was calculated at ?,?404.00...Read More