Steel plate prices in the United States was flat during the week ended Friday January 31, with market participants expressing pessimistic views on the outlook amid negative trends in the ferrous scrap market.Sources reported lead times of 4-5 weeks at most mills, which could indicate that mills are under pressure to fill their order books. In a healthy market, plate lead times should be longer tha...Read More
Recent bookings of CIS-origin billet by customers in North Africa and by traders have helped to slow the downward trend seen in pricing in the week ended January 31.Nevertheless, market sentiment remained negative amid falling international prices for ferrous scrap as well as low demand for finished long steel products.Fastmarkets' daily steel billet index, export, fob Black Sea, CIS, was $393 per...Read More
Competition in the global steel markets remains fierce and here Fastmarkets provides an update on the new, progressing and closed trade cases from around the world in January 2020.1. Turkey: rebar, pig iron, cold-rolled coil2. China: copper, aluminium and ferrous scrap3. Morocco: HRC from Turkey4....Read More
The flat steel export market in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was slow in the week ending Monday February 3, with the only price changes being seen in cold-rolled coil.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS, was $475-490 per tonne on February 3, unchanged week on week.The workable market level was still estimated around $475 per...Read More
The Turkish steel mills continued to hold back from deep-sea scrap purchases on Monday February 3, expecting lower prices to emerge, sources told Fastmarkets.The daily scrap indices went down by almost $10 per tonne on January 29, when a US cargo was heard sold at $275 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (90:10).That was the sole cargo sold last week, with mills seeking even lower prices because they were s...Read More
Domestic auto bundle scrap prices in the Turkish market have weakened further, although slightly, over the past week in response to the fall in imported scrap values, sources said on Monday February 3.Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices have declined by around $10 per tonne, after a deal heard on January 29 for a United States cargo containing 30,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (90:10) at $275 per tonne cf...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices were down on Monday February 3, although trading activity was relatively muted with participants awaiting Chinese buyers' next moves to gauge market direction.Fastmarkets' indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $150.79 per tonne, down $1.50 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $162.73 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $127.01 per tonne, unc...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices fell on Monday February 3 amid fears of weakened demand caused by an expected slowdown in China's construction sector.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $80.38 per tonne, down $4.56 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $79.42 per tonne, down $4.56 per tonne. 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $81.61 per tonne, down $4.94 per tonne.58%...Read More
The direct-reduced (DR) iron pellet premium has reduced in contracts for shipments in the first quarter 2020 mainly on a weak scrap market and pessimistic buyer mood, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets' assessment of the iron ore DR-grade pellet premium, Middle East reference was $31 per tonne on Friday January 31, down from $39 per tonne on December 31."The scrap market's weak again...Read More
Sellers of Turkish rebar tested the Singapore market over the past week by issuing lower offers to the republic after the Lunar New Year holiday.They offered cargoes at $450-455 per tonne cfr to the Southeast Asian country. No other offers for cargoes of other origin were heard.Participants were largely just returning to the spot market during the week and were not actively looking to purchase mat...Read More
Global scrap prices fell last week due to weak downstream demand and market jitters following the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus in China. Turkish import prices slide on weak downstream demandUnited States' ferrous scrap export prices tumble in latest dealsTaiwan import prices dip on virus jittersIndian import prices dip in line with international pricesTurkeyTurkish imported ferrous scrap pric...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil sellers lowered their offers significantly on Monday February 3, the first day after the country's Chinese New Year break, amid bearish sentiment triggered by a virus outbreak.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,630-3,650 yuan ($523-526) per tonne, down 230 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,300 yuan per tonne, down 290 yuan per tonneA Shanghai-based trader told Fas...Read More
Rebar offers in eastern China dropped sharply on Monday February 3, the first day of work after the Chinese New Year for some market participants, amid sustained fears over the novel coronavirus in the country.Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,400-3,450 yuan ($490-497) per tonne, down 220-240 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,540-3,560 yuan per tonne, unchangedA handful of sellers in the eastern...Read More
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan city, China, is positively affecting antimony prices in Europe, with low stocks in Rotterdam and the market heavily dependent on supply from China.The East Asian country accounts for 78% of global antimony output, according to the United States Geologic Survey (USGS). Fastmarkets assessed the price for antimony max 100 ppm Bi, in-whs Rotterdam at $...Read More
Cobalt prices held on to their recent gains on Monday February 3, finding support because of the limited supplies of readily available material.Fastmarkets' inaugural daily price assessments on February 3 for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, and cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, were unchanged at $16.50-16.90 per lb and $17.40-17.80 per lb respectively. The previous assessments were on...Read More
Fastmarkets MB today launched daily publication for its benchmark price assessments for standard and alloy-grade cobalt, in-whs Rotterdam. Folllowing a consultation period in 2019, Fastmarkets has launched daily price assessments for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb and cobalt alloy grade, in whs Rotterdam $/lb. The increase in frequency is intended to provide greater transparenc...Read More
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Markets still adjusting to coronavirus shock ACCESS RESTRICTEDTo read the rest of this analysis please take a free sample or subscribeFREE SampleReceive a free sample of market analysis and price forecasts.Free SampleSUBSCRIBEReceive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts.Plus download the latest issu...Read More
Aluminium The long lower wick on the daily...ACCESS RESTRICTEDTo read the rest of this analysis please take a free sample or subscribeFREE SampleReceive a free sample of market analysis and price forecasts.Free SampleSUBSCRIBEReceive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts.Plus download the latest...Read More
Trading regime: Macro pressures overshadowing fundamentals ACCESS RESTRICTEDTo read the rest of this analysis please take a free sample or subscribeFREE SampleReceive a free sample of market analysis and price forecasts.Free SampleSUBSCRIBEReceive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts.Plus download t...Read More