The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange fell by more than 2% at the close of trading on Monday February 24, with downward moves taking it to its its lowest close since July 2016, while broad risk-off sentiment across the base-metals complex saw copper lose 1.2% of its outright price.Zinc's underlying price on the LME closed at $2,046 per tonne on Monday afternoon, falling from an i...Read More
The discount for copper scrap imported into China has fallen in February on a lower commodity price and a negative arbitrage, with the impact of virus-led delivery delays on the overseas scrap price being minimal in the Chinese market.Fastmarkets assessed the monthly discount of No 2 94-96% copper scrap, birch or cliff, at 31-34 cents per lb cif China on February 24, down from 33-37 cents per lb i...Read More
The price of UG2 chrome ore dropped in the week to Friday February 21 due to lower bids from alloy smelters after China's major stainless steel mills kept their February tender prices flat month on month. China's Tsingshan Group and Taiyuan Iron and Steel (Tisco) held their ferro-chrome tender prices for February delivery unchanged from January. The latest tender prices came as a shock to the mark...Read More
Key data from the pricing session in Europe and Asia for the week ended Friday February 21. Europe Key driversPrices for silicon grades 4-4-1 and 5-5-3 jumped again in Europe due to a lack of prompt shipments exacerbating already tight supply.The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak has caused disruptions to the flow of material from China.A number of European buyers reported difficulty...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia and Europe in the week to Friday February 21. China Key drivers Some antimony suppliers lifted their offer prices again and were resistant to compromising on offers last week, citing limited available cargo, according to market sources. A number of producers and traders held off from offering in anticipation of higher prices in the coming week...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday February 24 that are worth another look.Chinese rebar remained the most competitively priced of imports of the long steel product in Singapore over the past week, edging out Turkish products.The discount for copper scrap imported into China has fallen in February on a lower commodity price and a negative arbitrage, with the impact o...Read More
The discount for copper scrap imported into China has fallen in February on a lower commodity price and a negative arbitrage, with the impact of virus-led delivery delays on the overseas scrap price being minimal in the Chinese market.Fastmarkets assessed the monthly discount of No 2 94-96% copper scrap, birch or cliff, at 31-34 cents per lb cif China on February 24, down from 33-37 cents per lb i...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market went quiet at the beginning of the week, with no significant bookings heard, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday February 24.The Turkish steel producers booked eight deep-sea cargoes at rising prices last week, totaling some 250,000 tonnes.However, market participants believe prices have now stabilized, and no further changes are expected...Read More
Broader markets are seeing risk-off while they focus on the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) this morning, Monday February 24, after the number of cases and deaths escalated outside of China, especially in South Korea.China remains in a very difficult position as it needs to ramp-up the return to work, while at the same time the virus is not contained. China exported $60 billion of auto...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in both Northern and Southern Europe rose at the end of the week to Friday February 21, supported by a lack of competitive imports and a degree of recovery in demand.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?483.99 ($524.88) per tonne on Friday, up by ?,?4.65 per tonne week on week from ?,?479.34 per tonne on February...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were stable day on day on Monday February 24, but producers remained bullish, sources told Fastmakets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, ex-works Northern Europe, was ?,?484.02 ($524.91) per tonne on Monday, almost unchanged from ?,?483.99 per tonne on February 21.The index was calculated based on deals and "workable" pr...Read More
Flat steel exporters from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) reduced offers for hot-rolled coil on a bearish buyer mood in key outlets, sources told Fastmarkets during the week ended on Monday February 24. Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $465-475 per tonne on Monday, narrowing from$460-480 per tonne a week before.Of...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday February 24 that are worth another look.Chinese rebar remained the most competitively priced of imports of the long steel product in Singapore over the past week, edging out Turkish products.The discount for copper scrap imported into China has fallen in February on a lower commodity price and a negative arbitrage, with the impact o...Read More
Cold-heading quality (CHQ) wire rod prices have fallen following February's lower ferrous scrap settlement, while the cost of high-carbon rod is stable, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets' assessment for steel wire rod cold-heading quality (CHQ), ddp was at $37.50 per hundredweight ($750 per short ton) on Friday February 21, down by 1.3% from $38 per cwt last month. The cost of Chicago No1...Read More
The Egyptian Administrative Court will make a ruling on billet and rebar import duties on May 23, after a number of domestic rebar re-rollers appealed to have them removed, market participants told Fastmarkets on Monday February 24.The Egyptian Ministry of Trade & Industry announced definitive import duties on steel billet, rebar and wire rod on October 10 last year. The definitive safeguard duty...Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market went quiet at the beginning of the week, with no significant bookings heard, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday February 24.The Turkish steel producers booked eight deep-sea cargoes at rising prices last week, totaling some 250,000 tonnes.However, market participants believe prices have now stabilized, and no further changes are expected...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have continued to increase over the past week in response to rising imported scrap values, market sources said on Monday February 24.Prices for imported scrap have been climbing in recent weeks on demand from Turkish steel producers. Fastmarkets' daily index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), US origin, cfr Turkey, was $284.04 per tonne on February 21, up from $274...Read More
Rising imported ferrous scrap prices in Turkey provided upward momentum to global scrap prices during the working week ended Friday February 21, with prices in most major import destinations surging due to the boost in demand.Turkish import scrap prices rise on buying spreeUS export scrap prices push upward on fresh Turkish dealsTaiwan import scrap prices surge on higher freight costs, Vietnam pri...Read More
CIS export prices for steel slab remained firm in bookings made in the seven days to Friday February 21 despite a weakening of the finished flat steel sector in the region and in some customers' markets.A cargo of Russia-origin slab was reported sold to Belgium at $425 per tonne fob Black Sea last week, in line with asking prices.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob Bla...Read More
Steel billet prices in the global markets were up in all regions except Asia last week, supported by increasing raw material costs, particularly scrap.Low-priced Japanese billet transactions and competitive offers for Chinese billet resulted in a $10-per-tonne decline in the Southeast Asian market.Southeast Asia, ChinaSeveral cargoes of Japanese billet were booked in the Philippines last week with...Read More