From future raw material investments to China's resurgence in lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery chemistries, Fastmarkets analysts and reporters consider six key discussion points dominating the battery and electric vehicle markets. The below themes were raised from questions during Fastmarkets' webinar "Covid-19 and the battery raw materials supply chain" on May 19. To listen again to the webin...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in London and Shanghai on Friday May 22.Key drivers:- Buyers in China continue to replenish stocks that have run thin from refineries, bridging a gap in shipments from Africa in March and April that was a result of South Africa's Covid-19 lockdown. Outflows...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday May 26 that are worth another look.Workers at Tata Steel's plant at IJmuiden in the Netherlands staged a lightning protest on May 26, but output was unaffected, the company said.Japanese steel producers which use electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) are being forced into raising their purchasing prices for ferrous scrap feedstock despite t...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe dropped further during the week to Friday May 22, due to low trading activity.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?407.50 ($443.92) per tonne on Friday, down by ?,?4.38 per tonne week on week and down by ?,?37.50 per tonne month on month.Friday's index was calculated based on deals and "workable...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were unchanged day on day on Tuesday May 26 while trading activity remained low, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe held at ?,?407.50 ($447.03) per tonne on May 26, flat from Friday May 22.Tuesday's index was calculated based on deals and "workable" prices heard at ?,?400-410...Read More
Oversupply in the steel rebar market in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow is a cause for concern, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday May 26, although prices remained largely unchanged week on week. Construction, the key consumer, was still running slowly after a gradual restart in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, sources said"Yes, the construction activity has im...Read More
Japanese steel producers which use electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) are being forced into raising their purchasing prices for ferrous scrap feedstock despite there being no upward movement in their steel sales prices, sources in Japan have told Fastmarkets.On Tuesday May 26, key EAF mill Tokyo Steel raised its bid price for steel scrap by ?500 ($5) per tonne at all its steelworks except in Tahara, wh...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices fell on Tuesday May 26, due to reduced demand caused by the heavy rains in most regions of the country. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,520-3,550 yuan ($493-498) per tonne, down by 20 yuan per tonne The heavy rains started late last week in southern China and the weather forecast suggest it will extend to most regions this week and that h...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday May 26 that are worth another look.Workers at Tata Steel's plant at IJmuiden in the Netherlands staged a lightning protest on May 26, but output was unaffected, the company said.Japanese steel producers which use electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) are being forced into raising their purchasing prices for ferrous scrap feedstock despite t...Read More
Mexican ferrous scrap prices were on opposite paths in the week ended Friday May 22, with prices rising in some deals due to a scarcity of material while others fell due to currency moves.Prices for three grades of scrap increased in Monterrey, with at least one client heard quietly purchasing small volumes of specific grades at higher prices.A second client was also considering future price...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices remained broadly stable on Tuesday May 26 after news of a fresh cargo came to light. The transaction which came to light on Monday was sold either on Sunday May 24 or Monday May 25, sources said. The market was relatively quiet at the beginning of the week due to a public holidays in many countries on...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday May 26 that are worth another look.Workers at Tata Steel's plant at IJmuiden in the Netherlands staged a lightning protest on May 26, but output was unaffected, the company said.Japanese steel producers which use electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) are being forced into raising their purchasing prices for ferrous scrap feedstock despite t...Read More
CIS export slab prices have continued to climb in the second half of May, supported by Turkish customers accepting higher-priced deals.A 30,000-tonne cargo of Ukrainian slab was reported sold last week at $360 per tonne cfr Turkey, equivalent to around $350 per tonne fob Black Sea, sources told Fastmarkets.Turkish customers accepted higher slab offers following a surge in domestic and export...Read More
Crude steel production in Germany fell by 23.85% year on year in April due to production cuts made to reflect the drop in demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the German steel federation said this week.Germany's crude steel production totaled 2.56 million tonnes in April 2020, down from 3.56 million tonnes in the corresponding period of 2019, WV Stahl said on Monday May 25.The last time ou...Read More
The price range for high-carbon ferro-chrome widened in Europe in the week ended Friday May 22, with industry sources reporting deals agreed for more than 500 tonnes of material.The price spread widened to $0.15 per lb after deals were reported that raised the higher end of the assessment.Trading activity was said by most sources to be quiet, with only one supplier reporting deals done. But the pr...Read More
Crude steel production in Germany fell by 23.85% year on year in April due to production cuts made to reflect the drop in demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the German steel federation said this week.Germany's crude steel production totaled 2.56 million tonnes in April 2020, down from 3.56 million tonnes in the corresponding period of 2019, WV Stahl said on Monday May 25.The last time ou...Read More
East Asia and Southeast Asia continue to be among the top five importers of Chinese steel products in April due to the competitive prices of the latter and the former's economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, Fastmarkets understands. China's major steel exportsFlat steel: 4.07 million tonnes, up by 5.1% year on year, down by 0.5% from March, according to China Customs data.Steel bar: 820,000...Read More
Member mills of the China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) continued to increase their production rates for crude steel, finished steel and hot metal in mid-May, according to data released on Saturday May 23.May 11-20 outputCrude steel: 2.08 million tonnes per day, up by 1.40%Finished steel: 1.96 million tpd, up...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Tuesday May 26 that are worth another look.Workers at Tata Steel's plant at IJmuiden in the Netherlands staged a lightning protest on May 26, but output was unaffected, the company said.Japanese steel producers which use electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) are being forced into raising their purchasing prices for ferrous scrap feedstock despite t...Read More
Mexican ferrous scrap prices were on opposite paths in the week ended Friday May 22, with prices rising in some deals due to a scarcity of material while others fell due to currency moves.Prices for three grades of scrap increased in Monterrey, with at least one client heard quietly purchasing small volumes of specific grades at higher prices.A second client was also considering future price...Read More