The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.An uneven recovery in Chinese construction and manufacturing sectors meant that rebar prices performed better than hot-rolled coil prices in April. Although domestic and export HRC prices in China were higher than we forecast, we expect the downward trend to last into May and will not be upwardly adjusting...Read More
New orders in May are set to fall by 25% from a typical month - less than the 60% decrease seen at the end of March and in April - as steel demand starts to recover from the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil, Gerdau chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said on Wednesday May 6.Construction site work in Brazil was down by 6% from the period before regional government quarantines to prevent the Covid-19 s...Read More
Demand for flat steel products in Turkey was moderate in April despite the Covid-19 pandemic due to low stocks in the country, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday May 6.Turkish flat steel producers are fully booked until late June.Several carmakers stopped production in the country in March and April, but most have now resumed, or are planning to resume output in April and May.Steel output was a...Read More
The seaborne iron ore market uptrend resumed on Wednesday May 6 due to more active trading after Chinese market participants returned from the Labor Day holiday on May 1-5. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $84.35 per tonne, up $0.31 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.24 per tonne, down $0.46 per tonne. 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $72.81 p...Read More
High-carbon ferro-chrome traded in a wider range last week as market participants weighed the impact of a near-term pick-up in demand against the longer-term impact of Covid-19 on the alloys markets. The price spread for high-carbon ferro-chrome in Europe widened by a couple of cents per lb to $0.17 per lb in the week ended Friday May 1. Fastmarkets' price assessment for ferro-chrome high carbon 6...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday May 6 that are worth another look.Mining operations at Anglo American's Grosvenor coal mine in Queensland, Australia, have been suspended following an incident on the afternoon of Wednesday May 6, which led to its evacuation.Stainless steel prices in China were largely unchanged in the week to May 6, with market participants in t...Read More
New orders in May are set to fall by 25% from a typical month - less than the 60% decrease seen at the end of March and in April - as steel demand starts to recover from the Covid-19 crisis in Brazil, Gerdau chief executive officer Gustavo Werneck said on Wednesday May 6.Construction site work in Brazil was down by 6% from the period before regional government quarantines to prevent the Covid-19 s...Read More
Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in Europe have decreased over the past week due to poor demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday May 6.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate, 8-40mm, exw Northern Europe was ?,?480-490 ($522-532) per tonne on May 6, down by ?,?10 per tonne from ?,?490-500 per tonne on April 29.The assessment is based on lower offers heard in t...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday May 6 that are worth another look.Mining operations at Anglo American's Grosvenor coal mine in Queensland, Australia, have been suspended following an incident on the afternoon of Wednesday May 6, which led to its evacuation.Stainless steel prices in China were largely unchanged in the week to May 6, with market participants in t...Read More
If ever there was a masterclass in the need to disaster-proof a supply chain, then the Covid-19 pandemic has provided a harsh reminder to the automotive sector that it's failing. It's a wake-up call for the industry, which, after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in March 2011, had vowed to end its "just in time" production philosophy and diversify its supply chain in orderto limit a repe...Read More
Christophe Koenig has been appointed head of global sales and marketing at Nornickel, the world's largest nickel and palladium producer. He will also become chief executive officer of Metal Trade Overseas AG, Nornickel's Switzerland-based sales division. Koenig previously managed sales...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday May 6.Please click...Read More
The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was the best performer at the close of trading on Wednesday May 6, with turnover at its highest since March 27, while the galvanizing metal continued a steady approach toward the $2,000 per tonne resistance level.Zinc's outright price on the LME closed at $1,975 per tonne on Wednesday afternoon, its highest closing price since March 11, rally...Read More
The seaborne iron ore market uptrend resumed on Wednesday May 6 due to more active trading after Chinese market participants returned from the Labor Day holiday on May 1-5. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $84.35 per tonne, up $0.31 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.24 per tonne, down $0.46 per tonne. 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $72.81 p...Read More
A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday May 6.Please click...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Europe dropped again in the week to Wednesday May 6 due to slow trading activity, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?421.50 ($458.02) per tonne on Wednesday, down by ?,?1.50 per tonne from ?,?423.00 per tonne on Tuesday.Wednesday's index was calculated based on "workable" prices...Read More
The United States nickel briquette premium dipped at the top end of the range in the week to Tuesday May 5, pushed lower by increased selling momentum at lower levels, while nickel premiums in Europe and China remained flat.?EUR? Virus-weakened demand pushed US briquettes premiums lower?EUR? China public holidays and a lack of arbitrage opportunities kept regional premiums unchanged?EUR? Lack...Read More
BMW has restarted vehicle production at some of its sites in Europe and the UK this week, while other locations would make similar moves next week, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets on Wednesday May 6.In late April 2020, the BMW Group began a staggered approach to restarts at its production locations, it said, with plant ramp-ups oriented toward the market. The exact dates for restarts would de...Read More
The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was the best performer at the close of trading on Wednesday May 6, with turnover at its highest since March 27, while the galvanizing metal continued a steady approach toward the $2,000 per tonne resistance level.Zinc's outright price on the LME closed at $1,975 per tonne on Wednesday afternoon, its highest closing price since March 11, rally...Read More
Business conditions for tin grew more difficult in the United States in the week to Tuesday May 5 - largely due to poor demand and the availability of free-floating LME tin warrants - putting pressure on premiums in the country; European markets were similarly subdued although premiums were stable over the past fortnight. US premiums fall due to absent demand. LME warehouse availability shri...Read More