The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Activity in China has picked up, and although the impact from the Covid-19 did not spare the country with its gross domestic product contracting at its largest rate since recording began in the 1990s, the latest crude steel output figures for April from China's National Bureau of Statistics show a strong recovery, albeit sti...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.The first quarter continued the trend of 2019 - for China to actively import relatively cheap metallics and semi-finished steel - but can this be sustained? The answer to this question will come down to the price competitiveness of the products, we believe. One additional incentive to continue to import metallics this year -...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.The recent decline in Chinese scrap prices - to their lowest in a couple of years - even as demand rises, suggests that Chinese scrap supply is increasingly sufficient. In terms of scrap demand, the question is more about price attractiveness. Mini-mills were reducing demand in February, largely because steel margins on scra...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.While downward pressure mounts on the steelmaking raw material markets, premiums for higher-grade iron ores have been sustained despite narrowing operating margins at Chinese steelmakers. Chinese mills are operating with shrinking margins since the end of last year but the premium for high-grade ores remains high. Historical...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices have fared relatively well over the past couple of months in the face of the threat from the Covid-19 pandemic.In grade-304 material, the most common grade of stainless steel, prices were down by about 5-7% since the turn of the year - not bad, when compared with the falls in prices of other assets so f...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
The new issue of the Seamless OCTG & Linepipe Market Tracker is now online at metalbulletinresearch.com.In this edition, Fastmarkets' research team delivers analysis of seamless OCTG and linepipe across international markets:Covid-19 underscores pipe outlookUnsurprisingly, the concern in the seamless pipe markets across the regions is the effect of the spread of Covid-19 on public health and econo...Read More
Broad markets were stronger this morning, Tuesday May 26, with many Asian-Pacific equity indices up by around 2%, while pre-market major western equities were up by around 1% but metals prices were mixed.Hopes that the reopening of economies will lead to an economic recovery are boosting equities but the United States-China trade dispute is worsening, which is not going to help the global economy...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 55 points in pre-opening trade.Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS $51.99 Cdn) is expected to open higher after reporting higher than consensus fiscal second quarter earnings. Merck gained $2.33 to $78.70 after announcing a deal to develop coronavirus vaccines. Autozone added $41.06 to $1164.00 after reporting higher than consens...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 22 that are worth another look.NLMK, Russia's largest steelmaker, has started hot testing the new beneficiation section at its Stoilendkiy mining and beneficiation plant, the company said on May 22.Metals traders have begun to feel the pinch after a turbulent period in commodity markets have caused some banks to step back from f...Read More
The TSX Composite Index is expected to open higher this morning in relatively light trading. The Index is expected to respond to strength in international equity markets as world economies begin to re-open. The Nikkei Average gained 1.73%. The DAX Index added 1.97%. S&P 500 futures advanced 0.93% despite no official trading on U.S. equity markets during the Memorial Day holiday. The Botto...Read More
Miners and processors considering production cuts cannot ignore safety or care and maintenance, including of associated asset infrastructure, the former chief executive officer of Anglo American said.Cynthia Carroll told Fastmarkets during a webinar interview that taking the decision to curtail output in deteriorating demand and pricing environments such as those being seen during the Covid-19 pan...Read More
The metals and mining industry will need to make permanent, fundamental changes to the way it operates as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the former chief executive of Anglo American told Fastmarkets.Speaking during a webinar interview this week, Cynthia Carroll, who led Anglo American from 2007 until 2013, said this is in stark contrast to the way the sector got back to business in the afterma...Read More