The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) is expecting a large number of steelmaking projects dedicated to both flat and long steel production in the next decade, covering not only regional demand but also excess volumes that may be exported, according the South East Asia Iron and Steel institute (SEAISI). The Asean regional intergovernmental organization comprises the Philippines, Indon...Read More
The prices for flat steel products imported into the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have fallen this week on continuing limited demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday September 24.Buyers did not want to book big tonnages before prices hit bottom, they said.UAEOffer prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) from China were heard at $450-460 per tonne cfr this week, with offers of India- and Japa...Read More
Import prices for steel billet and rebar in the United Arab Emirates fell this week because of soft demand, and rebar prices were also expected to decline, sources said on Tuesday September 24.Market participants expected that new domestic rebar prices would be announced in the near future, Fastmarkets heard.Billet importsBillet was on offer from Oman at about $405-410 per tonne cpt, and $390 per...Read More
Steel hot-rolled sheet prices in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow have declined over the week to Monday September 23 due to the seasonal slowdown, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel hot-rolled sheet, domestic, cpt Moscow, Russia was 43,000-44,000 roubles ($671-687) per tonne on September 23, including 20% VAT, narrowing downward from 43,000-44,90...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials.Latest transaction:Pig ironSouth...Read More
Restrictions on steelmaking in China that are more stringent than had been expected meant that both iron ore demand and prices were reduced on Tuesday September 24.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.83 per tonne, down by $3.29 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $91.22 per tonne, down by $3.29 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $88.84 per tonne,...Read More
Bearish sentiment continues to grip the seaborne coking coal market, where prices fell to a three-year low this month.Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $128.19 per tonne, unchangedPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $153.98 per tonne, down $1 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $122.50 per tonne, unchangedHard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $132.76 per tonne, unchangedLow-vol PCI, fob DBCT: $98...Read More
Ongoing steelmaking restrictions continued to support prices for hot-rolled coil in China on Tuesday September 24.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,660-3,670 yuan ($515-516) per tonne, narrowing upward by 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,600 yuan per tonne, unchangedSpot prices remained largely at Monday's levels amid optimism due to the emergence of more details surrounding steelma...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices continued their upward on Tuesday September 24 amid sustained bullishness. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,700-3,730 yuan ($521-525) per tonne, up 30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,590-3,630 yuan per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneShort-term production restrictions in Hebei province's Tangshan city and in Shandong province continued to provide support to s...Read More
The three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange increased during morning trading on Tuesday September 24, with the price climbing against a fresh cancellation of over 21,000 tonnes while the rest of the complex declined amid light turnover.Copper's three-month price was recently at $5,805 per tonne, climbing up by just 0.2% from Monday's close at $5,778 per tonne but breaching nearby res...Read More
Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were largely in negative territory during the morning trading session on Tuesday September 24 after renewed concerns about a weak global economy dampened investors' appetite for commodity investment. These concerns were reignited following the release of disappointing manufacturing data from across Europe on Monday."The euro area manufacturing pu...Read More
Belgium-based battery-materials manufacturer Umicore has reached a multi-year supply agreement with South Korean battery maker LG Chem for nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cathode materials, Umicore said on Monday September 23. Under the agreement, Umicore will supply LG Chem with a total of 125,000 tonnes of NCM cathode materials over several years, starting from 2020. The companies did not reveal t...Read More
A continental effort to limit the of single-use plastics is already encouraging an increase in European aluminium can production, Elval executive director Constantin Catsaros said at Fastmarkets' International Aluminium Conference in Athens on Tuesday September 24. "The ban of single-use plastics is a big move," Catsaros said. "Can makers are building out in Europe; I know of at least eight new ca...Read More
The downward trend in the European ferro-vanadium market continued in the week to Friday September 20, reflecting thin spot buying and continuously bearish sentiment European ferro-vanadium price slips on aggressive offers V2O5 prices follow alloy market lower Chinese ferro-vanadium export price stable in quiet spot market. US prices slide amid pressure from overseas declinesFastmarkets' price ass...Read More
U.S. equity index futures moved lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 2 points in pre-opening comments. Index futures responded to launch of an impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives.Nike gained $5.37 to an all-time high at $92.55 after the company reported higher than consensus fiscal first quarter earnings. Stifel Nicolaus raise its target price to $106 form $96.Philip M...Read More
The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was higher at the close of trading on Monday September 23, closing above the $2.300 per tonne threshold and topping the gains in the base metals complex, while sister-metal lead fell furthest over the afternoon.Zinc futures closed at $2,331 per tonne in the afternoon, breaching nearby resistance despite moderately thin turnover, with just ove...Read More
China has announced a fourth round of copper scrap import quotas to allow an extra 31,658 tonnes of copper scrap into the country by the end of 2019, the environmental ministry said on Monday September 23. The latest quota, permitting less shipments than in the previous three releases, brings the total volume of copper scrap imports allowed into the country in the second half of 2019 to 484,767 to...Read More
First Quantum, owner of Kansanshi copper mine, is in discussions to sell part of its stake in Zambian copper assets to leading Chinese copper producer Jiangxi Copper, the miner said on Monday September 23. The Toronto-listed miner said the potential sale of a minority interest in its Zambian copper asset is ongoing and no transaction has been agreed at this stage. It did not disclose which asset i...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories from Monday September 23 that are worth another look.China has announced a fourth round of copper scrap import quotas to allow an extra 31,658 tonnes of copper scrap into the country by the end of 2019, the environmental ministry said on September 23.Faced with high and increasing emissions costs during a period of challenging market conditions, the steel indus...Read More
The market for low carbon ferro-chrome (0.10% C) in Europe rose on Friday September 20, indicating that prices had bottomed-out at a historic low level, with demand remaining subdued. Rise in low- and high-carbon alloy prices in Europe Spot alloy prices firm in China on higher Tisco tender price Imported alloy price in China steady Imported chrome ore prices stable US alloys fall amid weak demand....Read More