The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange closed higher on Tuesday October 29, with news of the expedited ore ban in Indonesia keeping the metal's price elevated, while lead futures also ended the day higher despite low turnover. Nickel's outright price closed at $16,830 per tonne this afternoon, up from an intraday low of $16,565 per tonne but lower than its daily high of $17,000...Read More
Falling spot premiums, slow demand and ample supply have cast a bearish pall over the Asian aluminium market this year and market participants told Fastmarkets they believe this will be the case for 2020 too.The primary consumers of aluminium in Asia are Japan and Korea, with the former having annual demand of up to 1.8 million tonnes, and Korea up to 1 million tonnes.But the aluminium market in J...Read More
Discounts for nickel full-plate cathodes in the Chinese import market softened in the week to Tuesday October 29 while material became cheaper to hold amid a brief contango in the London Metal Exchange nickel cash/three-month spread.The benchmark LME cash/three-month nickel spread traded in a $32 per tonne backwardation on October 29, having snapped briefly into a $22 per tonne contango on October...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday October 29 that are worth another look.The decline in Asian hot-rolled coil prices has continued to apply downward pressure on slab prices in the region, sources told Fastmarkets.The copper market is largely shrugging off the positive price effects of supply constraints and is focusing its attention on the negative consequences...Read More
The European ferro-silicon market backtracked over the past week, erasing recent gains as demand in the region tailed off, while US and Chinese prices both held amid lackluster trading activity. European market pares gains as demand fadesChinese domestic alloys prices held;Chinese export market stagnant;US market holds absent trading activity Europe pares gains as demand fadesThe European fe...Read More
Prices for ferrous scrap in the Mexican markets have shown minor changes in the past week because most steelmakers have concluded their planned price cuts, which has left scrap dealers believing that the market has reached a bottom.In the region around the northern city of Monterrey, most scrap buyers have not made changes to their prices. But one steelmaker outside Monterrey has applied a reducti...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to pause their deep-sea cargo purchases because of a public holiday in the country reducing trading activity, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 29.Today is a public holiday in Turkey for the Republic Day of Turkey, which has reduced trading activity to zero. No purchases have been heard booked so far this week, with Monday also a half...Read More
A new Singapore Steel Forum will kick off for the first time next year as part of Singapore Iron Ore Week (SIOW) 2020.Fastmarkets will drive the forum together with the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Enterprise Singapore as part of an expanded SIOW, which will be held on May 18-21 2020 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre. The Singapore Steel Forum will be held on May 20 and will include global steelma...Read More
The copper market is largely shrugging off the positive price effects of supply constraints and is focusing its attention on the negative consequences on growth of the trade wars, the chief executive officer of Freeport-McMoRan has said.As long as this remains the case, copper prices appear unlikely to strengthen significantly, although a return to a more stable and positive relationship between C...Read More
The London Metal Exchange announced this week that industry members will form a committee to represent the views and interests of lithium stakeholders while the exchange plans the launch of a lithium futures contract.The committee is made up of representatives of major lithium producers and consumers: Jaguar Land Rover, Albemarle Corp, Lithium Corp, Pilbara Minerals, Transamine Trading, BASF, Tian...Read More
Export prices for hot-rolled and cold-rolled coil from the Commonwealth of Independent States continued to fall during the week ended Monday October 28, although market sources told Fastmarkets they doubted the market could decline much further. Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel HRC export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $360-375 per tonne on October 21, down from $375-385 per tonne a week ear...Read More
A new Singapore Steel Forum will kick off for the first time next year as part of Singapore Iron Ore Week (SIOW) 2020.Fastmarkets will drive the forum together with the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Enterprise Singapore as part of an expanded SIOW, which will be held on May 18-21 2020 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre. The Singapore Steel Forum will be held on May 20 and will include global steelma...Read More
Chinese steelmakers kept their export offers for hot-rolled coil unchanged on Tuesday October 29 amid a stable domestic market.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,500-3,520 yuan ($495-498) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,500 yuan per tonne, unchangedSteady demand kept domestic prices unchanged during the day.A Shanghai-based trader thinks demand will be sustained for several days...Read More
Import prices for steel billet in the United Arab Emirates increased over the past week, while domestic and import rebar values decreased, market sources said on Tuesday October 29.Domestic prices for rebar for the month were announced by the country's producers on October 21. Both Emirates Steel and Conares Steel kept their prices unchanged.Billet importsOne billet booking was made from Oman at a...Read More
A new Singapore Steel Forum will kick off for the first time next year as part of Singapore Iron Ore Week (SIOW) 2020.Fastmarkets will drive the forum together with the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Enterprise Singapore as part of an expanded SIOW, which will be held on May 18-21 2020 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre. The Singapore Steel Forum will be held on May 20 and will include global steelma...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices retreated on Tuesday October 29 due to softening demand from the construction sector. Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,610-3,640 yuan ($511-516) per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonne Northern China (Beijing): 3,580-3,620 yuan per tonne, narrowed downward by 10 yuan per tonneConstruction activity in northeastern China is falling gradually along with the onset of colder weather,...Read More
Prices for ferrous scrap in the Mexican markets have shown minor changes in the past week because most steelmakers have concluded their planned price cuts, which has left scrap dealers believing that the market has reached a bottom.In the region around the northern city of Monterrey, most scrap buyers have not made changes to their prices. But one steelmaker outside Monterrey has applied a reducti...Read More
Turkish steel producers continued to pause their deep-sea cargo purchases because of a public holiday in the country reducing trading activity, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday October 29.Today is a public holiday in Turkey for the Republic Day of Turkey, which has reduced trading activity to zero. No purchases have been heard booked so far this week, with Monday also a half...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were down on Tuesday October 29 amid market uncertainty about demand levels in winter.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.64 per tonne, down $1.34 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $86.46 per tonne, down $1.34 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $85.25 per tonne, down $1.40 per tonne.58% Fe fines high-prem...Read More
Import prices for steel billet in the United Arab Emirates increased over the past week, while domestic and import rebar values decreased, market sources said on Tuesday October 29.Domestic prices for rebar for the month were announced by the country's producers on October 21. Both Emirates Steel and Conares Steel kept their prices unchanged.Billet importsOne billet booking was made from Oman at a...Read More