China's domestic rebar prices kept their downward trend on Wednesday December 4 as traders unloaded inventory. Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,970-4,000 yuan ($562-566) per tonne, down 20 yuan per tonne Northern China (Beijing): 3,700-3,740 yuan per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneRising spot market inventory caused by weaker demand and high output led trading houses to urgently destock...Read More
With the exception of tin, base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were down during the morning trading session on Wednesday December 4 after United States President Donald Trump said a trade deal with China may not come until after next year's presidential election."In some ways, I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal, but they want to make a deal now a...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Cobalt trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are per lb on an in-warehouse (in-whs) basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets' price assessment for standard-grade cobalt, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb.Click here for...Read More
Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe on Wednesday December 4.Key drivers The scrap markets were down in the past week, with supply offer prices dropping against slowing demand in the run-up to year-end holidays. Metals producers typically run down their feedstocks in December, a time usually set aside for book-squaring, banking profits and settling accounts. The alloy market...Read More
Glencore has signed a six-year deal to supply cobalt hydroxide to South Korea-based electric vehicle (EV) battery maker SK Innovation, the Swiss miner-trader announced on Wednesday December 4.SK Innovation will purchase up to 30,000 tonnes of cobalt contained in hydroxide between 2020 and 2025. "This newly established partnership demonstrates the continuation of Glencore's cobalt hydroxide marketi...Read More
The Chinese government has approved a seventh round of copper scrap import quotas for this year at lower volumes compared with the previous batch, Fastmarkets has learned. The most recent quota has been set at 7,970 tonnes, the environment ministry said on Tuesday December 3. This is down by 28.3% from 11,110 tonnes issued in the sixth round of approvals last month. The latest quota brings th...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 13 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures moved higher following release of the November Employment Reports at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus for November Non-farm Payrolls was an increase of 183,000 versus an upwardly revised gain of 156,000 in October. Actual was a gain of 266,000. November Unemployment Rate was expected...Read More
Weak demand conditions and lingering backwardations in London Metal Exchange spreads damped most regional P1020A premiums on Tuesday December 3, including the main Japanese ports (MJP) premium, which fell to an all-time low.MJP premium falls to all-time lowRotterdam premium ticks downward on LME backwardationsBrazil premiums soften on poor demandUS Midwest premium steady on holiday pause.MJP spot...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday December 3.Please click...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange was lower at the close of trading on Tuesday November 3, with this morning's fresh cancelation of 1,326 tonnes doing little to negate selling pressure, while the metal's benchmark cash/three-month spread reached its widest level since July. Nickel's outright price on the LME closed at $13,375 per tonne this afternoon, softening by more than...Read More
Seaborne manganese ore prices for both grades in China nudged down in the week ended Friday November 29 after buying sentiment was dented by falling port-side ore prices and the continued rise in port-side inventories. Spot liquidity was light last week in advance of miners making their offers for January cargoes. Fastmarkets' index for manganese ore, 44% Mn, cif Tianjin edged down by 1 cent week...Read More
Lead concentrate spot treatment charges (TCs) continued to rise in November, with buy-side liquidity slim amid a still-shut arbitrage window for Chinese imports. Refining charges (RCs) also remain high, around $1.20-1.30 per oz for material with high silver content. Lead concentrates with low silver content are trading with RCs at $1.50 or above. Fastmarkets assessed the lead spot concentrate...Read More
Deteriorating demand is adding continual downward pressure to Chinese and European alloy prices.Chinese domestic alloy prices weaken on thin demand Imported charge chrome prices in China drop amid competitive domestic prices Chrome ore prices hold in China European alloy market continues sliding Chinese spot domestic ferro-chrome prices resumed their decline in the week to Friday November 29, refl...Read More
Prices for certain grades of ferrous scrap rose in the Mexican steelmaking regions of Baj?-o and Monterrey over the past week, with some consumers already applying price increases to secure their supply.In Mexico's central Baj?-o region, at least one steelmaker increased prices by up to 200 pesos ($10) per tonne last week, while other steelmakers were telling scrap sellers that they will struggle...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices have increased on a fresh transaction amid tightening supply and good demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday December 3.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo, comprising 24,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $280 per tonne and 3,000 tonnes of bonus at $290 per tonne cfr. The cargo was scheduled for shipment in January.This compares...Read More
While the metal markets have hardly been bullish, United States President Donald Trump undermined confidence across broad markets when he re-imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Argentina and Brazil and threatened France with tariffs too.This has raised concerns that a US-China trade deal may be delayed, especially following Trump's signing legislation supporting protesters in Hong...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States have continued to bounce between $27 and $28 per hundredweight ($540 and $560 per short ton) in a quiet pre-holiday spot market, sources said.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $27.54 per cwt ($550.80 per ton) on Tuesday December 3, down by 0.9% from $27.79 per cwt on December 2 but roughly unchanged f...Read More
Suppliers of hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel sheet to Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow have reduced their prices for December, but intend to put them back up for January, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday December 2.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled sheet, domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia, was 39,000-39,500 roubles ($606-614) per tonne on December 2, including...Read More
Export prices for hot-rolled coil from the Commonwealth of Independent States have increased over the past week as several sales at higher prices were done to key outlets, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday December 2.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel HRC, export, fob Black Sea, CIS, was $405-415 per tonne on Monday December 2, up by $10 per tonne from the previous week.Russia-origin HRC was...Read More