Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday June 26 that are worth another look.The price for flat-rolled steel imported into South American main destinations has edged downward week on week, with Chinese offers remaining steady, while material from other origins was presented at lower prices.The closure of the Chuquicamata copper smelter in Chile could last up to two weeks,...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday June 26 that are worth another look.The price for flat-rolled steel imported into South American main destinations has edged downward week on week, with Chinese offers remaining steady, while material from other origins was presented at lower prices.The closure of the Chuquicamata copper smelter in Chile could last up to two weeks,...Read More
Asian-Pacific equities and pre-market European equity index futures were weaker this morning, Monday June 29, but base metals prices were for the most part firmer. * Nikkei led on the downside this morning with losses of 2.21%.* Covid-19 surges in some southern US states, with 2.5 million confirmed cases reported in the country.* Profits in China’s industrial sector showed growth of 6% year o...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 12 points in pre-opening trade.Boeing added $12.30 to $182.31 after the FAA indicated that test flights on the 737 Max aircraft are set to start today.Gap Stores gained $0.63 to $12.70 after Deutsche Bank raised its target price from $13 to $15.Square added $1.45 to $105.75 after KeyBanc Capital increased its target pr...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Depending on which market one looks at, prices of coated steels have either risen, fallen or remained roughly the same since mid-May. One crucial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that has swept the world this year is the decoupling it appears to have created between global steel markets.In China, prices of most steel products...Read More
The LME three-month aluminium price was the standout performer on Friday June 26, breaching nearby resistance despite limited turnover, while a steady rise in LME copper futures prompted a tightening of the red metal's forward curve.Aluminium's outright price on the LME closed at $1,601.50 per tonne on Friday afternoon, climbing from an intraday low of $1,571 per tonne, while turnover was lower th...Read More
The closure of the Chuquicamata copper smelter in Chile could last up to two weeks, Fastmarkets learned on Friday June 26. The exact duration of the closure will "depend on the number of [Covid-19] cases found," with tests being carried out on staff, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Fastmarkets. Meanwhile, the refinery continues to operate at one third of capacity to process exist...Read More
A growth in investing based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues is rapidly advancing a widespread market appreciation of low-carbon products, including aluminium, the chairman of En+ Group said. Lord Gregory Barker said that while mainstream investors previously did not turn their attention to so-called "green investing," there is now an increasing recognition that a large, geopol...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
One year on from taking Nyrstar private, Trafigura chief financial officer Christophe Salmon says the trading firm "made the right choice" by committing $2.9 billion in capital doing so.In a wide-ranging interview with Fastmarkets, Salmon and Nyrstar chief executive officer Daniel Vanin discussed investment, cost reduction and plans of the company, which is the world's second-largest zinc and lead...Read More
The spot market for copper concentrate remained quiet in the week ended Friday June 26 due to Chinese market participants away for the national Dragon Boat Festival holiday. Fastmarkets' benchmark copper concentrate treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) index fell to $46.80 per tonne / 4.68 cents per lb on Friday from $47.30 per tonne / 4.73 cents per lb a week earlier. ...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States during the week ending Friday June 26. China The domestic market was propelled higher by continued tight availability, with increased spot demand from mill restocking ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday on June 25-27.Export prices followed the domestic market up, despite major suppliers admitting...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for their latest price moves.Read More
The price of austenitic stainless steel scrap in the European domestic market moved slightly higher this week because of tight supply, despite low demand from mills and lower nickel costs, Fastmarkets heard on Friday June 26.Traders had by this week settled their terms with stainless steel mills for July, and in some cases had secured slightly lower nickel discounts - when traders sell to mills, t...Read More
The inter-merchant spot price for light iron scrap in the UK was unchanged in the week to Friday June 26, continuing the stability seen last week amid low-key but steady trading and little change in export prices, trade sources said.There was also some market expectation that monthly delivery settlement prices would be rolled over after the conclusion of negotiations due to start next week.Trade s...Read More
Steel scrap prices in the major regions started to weaken during the working week from Monday June 22 to Friday June 26, amid softening demand.Turkish mills booked only two deep-sea cargoes this weekUS export prices down $6 per tonneSteady demand could not prevent prices weakening in VietnamImport prices down in Taiwan ahead of festival periodLower prices entice buyers in India.TurkeyTurkish steel...Read More
Markets were mainly firmer this morning, Friday June 26, with the base metals up across the board and most Asian-Pacific equities indices showing gains, while gold prices were consolidating - all of which suggesting a slight risk-on sentiment.Pre-market major European equity index futures were up by around 0.7%, following gains in the United States on Thursday.Global trade dropped by 12.1% in Apri...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
The standard for lithium compounds used in battery applications should be set by battery manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) based on technological development rather than government authorities, lithium market experts Emily Hersh and Daniel Jimenez said in a Fastmarkets' lithium webinar on Tuesday June 23.Lithium compounds are a key ingredient in the manufacture of batteries...Read More
European and United States lithium technical and battery-grade prices held steady in the seven days to Thursday June 25, with the market watchful of the continued uncertainty surrounding the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.Lithium extraction and export operations in Chile - a key producer of lithium compounds - have not been affected so far by the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in th...Read More