Base metals prices on both the Shanghai Futures Exchange and London Metal Exchange were, for the most part, up across the board on the morning of Monday October 11, along with Asia-Pacific equities.Metals stronger despite strong US treasury yields Brent crude oil approaching $84 per barrelDisappointing US employment report may hold US Federal Reserve back and give inflation a freer hand Base metal...Read More
European steel companies must scale up their decarbonization technologies within the coming decade or risk exhausting their allocated emissions allowances early, according to a report released on Tuesday September 14.The report, "Steeling for Net Zero," by climate researcher Industry Tracker, found that selected European steel companies have less than 26% of their carbon budget remaining and must...Read More
Chinese domestic rebar prices continued to rise on Monday October 11 after steel mills increased their list prices, but market participants remain pessimistic about demand and prices for the rest of October.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 5,940-5,990 yuan ($923-931) per tonne, up by 30-40 yuan per tonneThe major eastern China producer Shagang raised its list prices for HRB400 16-25mm rebar...Read More
Ecobat's Stolberg lead smelter will remain shut until spring 2022; regional tightness is pushing more consumers to look for spot units.The German lead plant, which declared force majeure due to floods in July, is still undergoing repair work, a company statement seen by Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 12 said. The smelter is in the process of procuring parts and equipment for the rebuild, the...Read More
The export market for steel billet from the Commonwealth of Independent States improved on Tuesday October 12 on bullish sentiment among suppliers.Fastmarkets' calculation of its daily steel billet index, export, fob Black Sea, CIS, was up by $23 per tonne day on day to $625 per tonne on October 12.One supplier from Ukraine offered billet at prices no...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday October 12 that are worth another look.A sharp rise in electricity prices has forced Spanish stainless long steel producer Sidenor Aceros Especiales to suspend production, Fastmarkets has heard.The London Metal Exchange has...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday October 11 that are worth another look.Global cobalt supply can't keep pace with surging cobalt consumption because its production is tied to copper and nickel mining rather than underlying demand, the chief executive officer of diversified mining company Eurasian Resources Group...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the 5pm close on Tuesday October 12 amid concerns over inflation, and rising energy costs and power outages in China.The three-month price of aluminium continued its upward momentum during Tuesday's trading, closing at $3,068 per tonne, up from $3,064 per tonne on Monday.The lightweight metal hit an intraday high of $3,114.50 per tonne...Read More
China has started sourcing for wire rod and rebar imports amid electricity crimps caused by a shortage of thermal coal and ensuing high power costs, market sources told Fastmarkets."Rerollers in China have been running at low rates because of a shortage of electricity, so China needs finished products such as rebar and wire rod instead," a trader in Singapore told Fastmarkets on Friday October 8."...Read More
China will allow its floating electricity prices to rise further from October 15 to stabilize supply amid a shortage in the country, according to a notice released by the country's National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC), its top economic planner, on Tuesday October 12.Electricity supplied to the national grid is priced using a formula that comprises a base price and a floating price, acco...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were down on Tuesday October 12 amid limited trading at Chinese ports, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $129.00 per tonne, down $6.03 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $130.17 per tonne, down $8.93 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $98.51 per tonne, down $7.08 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-origin fi...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed at the 5pm close on Tuesday October 12 amid concerns over inflation, and rising energy costs and power outages in China.The three-month price of aluminium continued its upward momentum during Tuesday's trading, closing at $3,068 per tonne, up from $3,064 per tonne on Monday.The lightweight metal hit an intraday high of $3,114.50 per tonne...Read More
Tsingshan Group has set its tender price for October-delivery high-carbon ferro-chrome at 9,995 yuan ($1,550) per tonne, the Chinese stainless steelmaker said on Monday October 11.The tender price was unchanged from what the eastern Chinese mill - the country's largest ferro-chrome buyer - had sought for September-delivery material, suggesting that it chose not to acknowledge a recent price surge...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday October 12 that are worth another look.A sharp rise in electricity prices has forced Spanish stainless long steel producer Sidenor Aceros Especiales to suspend production, Fastmarkets has heard.The London Metal Exchange has...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Bulk and noble alloys both moved largely in line with our price forecasts globally over the past month, though several markets surprised to the upside, exceeding our forecast gains. Stronger-than-forecast pricing momentum was primarily triggered by supply shortages in numerous...Read More
The two biggest ferro-alloys producers in Ukraine - Nikopol and Zaporozhye - are almost halving production of manganese alloys in October due to surging electricity prices, a source told Fastmarkets on Monday October 11.The Privat Group, which owns the facilities is shutting five of its 13 furnaces at Nikopol, cutting its monthly manganese alloys output to 35,000 tonnes, from 65,000 tonnes in Sept...Read More
The collapse of the iron ore market and market turbulence over Chinese property developer Evergrande Group are adding to the economic woes caused by the Delta variant of Covid-19 for much of this year.It is hard to find bright sparks in the months ahead for the ferrous supply chain, which has been buffeted repeatedly in a short span of few months, starting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's comment...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday October 11 that are worth another look.Global cobalt supply can't keep pace with surging cobalt consumption because its production is tied to copper and nickel mining rather than underlying demand, the chief executive officer of diversified mining company Eurasian Resources Group...Read More
Canadian junior miner Rock Tech Lithium plans to develop a battery-grade lithium hydroxide conversion plant in the German region of Brandenburg, it announced on Monday October 11.The company is also developing a junior spodumene project in Ontario, Canada. The total investment required for the conversion plant in Germany would be ?,?470 million ($544 million), the company said. Once operational,...Read More
The London Metal Exchange is partnering with the digital metals trading platform Metalshub to establish a spot trading platform and marketplace, the exchange said.Initially focused on base metals, the platform will be run by Metalshub and will exist in parallel with the LME's existing derivative contracts and trading mechanisms. Users of the spot trading platform will be directed to the Metalshub...Read More