Activity in the European hot-rolled coil segment remained slow on Monday October 4 with both buyers and sellers holding back from trading, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers paused their purchases in anticipation that European mills will accept lower prices in the near future. In addition, importers need time to consider the situation with the fourth-quarter safeguard quotas.A new quota period starte...Read More
Honda's August production and sales of new vehicles in Japan slumped on a monthly basis, by 62.4% and 22.7% respectively.Production of new vehicles fell to 23,790 vehicles in August, while sales fell to 40,656 vehicles.The production statistics are in line with the carmaker's expectations - Honda had earlier reported Japan-based factories to be running at 40% capacity in August-September amid a sh...Read More
Export slab prices from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region remained firm over the week to Monday October 4; trading activity was limited.In the Black Sea basin, mills continued to offer material within the range of $670-680 per tonne fob, unchanged week on week,several sources said. Customers in the major outlets such as Europe and Turkey, however, mainly refrained from booking be...Read More
Turkey imported 844,898 tonnes of flat steel in August, a 30.98% increase from 645,115 tonnes in the corresponding period of 2020, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) said. Demand for flat steel was strong in May and June, when orders for August deliveries were placed. India sold large quantities of hot-rolled coil to Turkey in June.Current demand for flat steel in the Turkish...Read More
BHP has produced its first nickel sulfate crystals at its Nickel West Kwinana plant in Western Australia, the company said on Friday October 1.The company expects to produce 100,000 tonnes per year of nickel sulfate when fully operational, which is enough to create 700,000 electric vehicle (EV) batteries each year, it said.The plant's capacity is expandable to 200,000 tpy, according to previous re...Read More
Supply disruptions, which have hit commodity markets in recent months, are among the "structural" factors that have prompted the recent 3.4% rise in euro zone inflation, the European Central Bank (ECB) vice president Luis de Guindos said on Monday October 4.In September, ECB estimated the annual inflation rate at 3.4% year on year, up from 3% in August.De Guindos said that some of the drivers of t...Read More
European non-ferrous metals industry association Eurometaux has warned the European Commission that surging power prices may cause metal producers to leave Europe and erode plans to cut carbon emissions."Rising electricity prices have already led to curtailments and could lead to further relocation of our sector outside Europe if not addressed," Eurometaux said in a letter co-signed by director ge...Read More
Aluminium producer Alcoa aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its global operations by 2050, it said on Monday October 4.The goal is for both direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2) emissions. It aligns with existing targets of reducing emissions from aluminium smelting and alumina refining operations by 30% by 2025, and 50% by 2030 from 2015 baselines."We're proud of our...Read More
European non-ferrous metals industry association Eurometaux has warned the European Commission that surging power prices may cause metal producers to leave Europe and erode plans to cut carbon emissions."Rising electricity prices have already led to curtailments and could lead to further relocation of our sector outside Europe if not addressed," Eurometaux said in a letter co-signed by director ge...Read More
Supply disruptions, which have hit commodity markets in recent months, are among the "structural" factors that have prompted the recent 3.4% rise in euro zone inflation, the European Central Bank (ECB) vice president Luis de Guindos said on Monday October 4.In September, ECB estimated the annual inflation rate at 3.4% year on year, up from 3% in August.De Guindos said that some of the drivers of t...Read More
The Commonwealth of Independent States' billet export market softened somewhat after the Chinese market, which has been rendering most of the support to billet sellers, left for a weeklong national holiday that ends on Thursday October 7.China's interest in imported billet started to fall by the end of last week.The latest sale of a Ukraine-origin cargo was heard done in the middle of th...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly up during morning trading on Monday October 4, continuing their recovery from a steep sell-off seen in the last days of September.The three-month contract for zinc was the best performer on Monday morning, rising to $3,014 per tonne at 9am from $2,982.50 per tonne at the close on Friday.The galvanizing metal has traded around and above $3...Read More
Brazilian mining company Vale has halted operations at its On??a Puma ferro-nickel unit, in the country's northern Par?? state, following the suspension of a license, it said on Monday October 4.Par??'s environmental and sustainability secretariat, Semas, suspended On??a Puma's operating license, saying Vale did not meet some of its conditions, the company said.Vale was in contact with Semas to un...Read More
As competition in the global steel markets remains fierce, Fastmarkets provides an update on the new, progressing and closed trade cases from around the world in September 2021.The case list below includes only updates. For other continuing cases this year, see the updates for January, February,...Read More
Iron ore prices were largely stable on Monday October 4, with limited liquidity during the Chinese National Day holiday, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $117.12 per tonne, up $1.33 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $119.75 per tonne, up $1.21 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $90.73 per tonne, up $2.67 per tonne65% Fe Brazil-o...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board during trading on Monday October 4, pushed upward by ongoing power-rationing policies in China and surging energy costs affecting production in the physical market.Nickel was the only exception, with the three-month nickel price down by 0.3% on Monday to $17,924 per tonne from $17,971 per tonne at Friday's 5pm close. "Th...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices continued to increase on Monday October 4 on a fresh European cargo heard, market participants told Fastmarkets.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo comprising 5,000 tonnes of heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) at $440 per tonne, and 3,000 tonnes of shredded and 1,500 tonnes of bonus at $455 per tonne cfr.The cargo will be shipped before N...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 17 points in pre-opening trade. Equity index futures were virtually unchanged following release of the U.S. August Trades Balance report at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus was a deficit of $70.5 billion versus a deficit of $70.1 billion in July. Actual was a deficit of $73.3 billionThe Canadian Dollar was virtually unchanged at...Read More
The ongoing power crunch in parts of China could further tighten the supply of coking coal if the country prioritizes thermal coal supply and delivery, market sources said.China prioritizes thermal coalChina's National Development and Reform Committee (NDRC) has stressed the need to guarantee thermal coal supplies to tackle the ongoing power shortage in areas such as Liaoning and Guangdong provinc...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mainly weaker on the morning of Tuesday October 5, while markets consolidated recent gains. But volumes have been light with Chinese participants absent due to the week-long National Day holiday (October 1-7).* Asia-Pacific equities weaker this morning as they followed Monday’s weakness in the United States.* Brent crude oil price back abov...Read More