The European Commission (EC) proposed some adjustments to the existing safeguard measures for steel product imports in Europe to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on August 14, Fastmarkets has learned.The definitive safeguard mechanism already in place increases the level of tariff-free quotas for each product category by 5% annually. The first liberalization took place on July 1, 2019, which was...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices stopped rising on Tuesday August 20 amid a weakening of steel futures and soft demand. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,700-3,730 yuan ($524-528) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,620-3,640 yuan per tonne, unchangedBuyers, having done some restocking on Monday, cut their procurement rates, which kept rebar prices from rising further, sources said. De...Read More
Demand for deep-sea scrap in Turkey remained sluggish because of the weak markets for finished long steel and billet, sources said on Tuesday August 20.There were only a few mills in the market looking to book scrap this week, while many other mills were quiet, and had halted or cut production, the sources said."I heard that three steel mills were looking for deep-sea material today," a Turkish mi...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices continued to dip on Tuesday August 20 amid limited buying activity.Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.94 per tonne, down by $0.46 per tonne. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines, cfr Qingdao: $88.32 per tonne, down by $0.46 per tonne. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $87.79 per tonne, d...Read More
The CIS export billet market has remained quiet since the end of a religious holiday in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, with the lack of activity being blamed on a growing gap between bids and offers.CIS producers continued to insist on $410-415 per tonne fob Black Sea for September-rolling material in the week ended Tuesday August 20, while bids were heard at $400 per tonne fob and lower.One Ru...Read More
Prices for steel rebar and billet in the United Arab Emirates have remained stable over the past week, with demand poor after the Eid al-Adha religious holiday last week, sources said on Tuesday August 20.Market participants believed that demand would improve after the UAE's biggest producer, Emirates Steel, announced its new rebar price, which it usually does on the 20th day of each month.Domesti...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices stopped rising on Tuesday August 20 amid a weakening of steel futures and soft demand. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,700-3,730 yuan ($524-528) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,620-3,640 yuan per tonne, unchangedBuyers, having done some restocking on Monday, cut their procurement rates, which kept rebar prices from rising further, sources said. De...Read More
Chinese ferro-silicon prices softened this past week on weak domestic demand, while the European market similarly retreated following recent price gains after consumers remained sidelined. Chinese domestic ferro-silicon prices widen lower on weak mill demandChinese export prices hold on thin trading amid uncertainty from US-China trade negotiationsEurope market retreats after short-lived recovery...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday August 20. Please click...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange continued to fall on Tuesday August 20, ending the day down by 0.3% at the afternoon kerb to $15,860 per tonne, compared with Monday's close at $15,920 per tonne.The LME's nickel inventory volumes stayed flat during the day's trading. The September/three-month spread was in a backwardation of $40 per tonne and the cash/three-month spread in...Read More
Demand for deep-sea scrap in Turkey remained sluggish because of the weak markets for finished long steel and billet, sources said on Tuesday August 20.There were only a few mills in the market looking to book scrap this week, while many other mills were quiet, and had halted or cut production, the sources said."I heard that three steel mills were looking for deep-sea material today," a Turkish mi...Read More
The CIS export billet market has remained quiet since the end of a religious holiday in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, with the lack of activity being blamed on a growing gap between bids and offers.CIS producers continued to insist on $410-415 per tonne fob Black Sea for September-rolling material in the week ended Tuesday August 20, while bids were heard at $400 per tonne fob and lower.One Ru...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday August 20 that are worth another look.Cobalt prices have risen by more than 25% since Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine and - in doing so - brought forward expectations of a shortfall in cobalt supply.Namibia-based tin mining company Afritin Mining has begun mining in the Erongo district of Namibia, producing it...Read More
Cobalt prices have risen by more than 25% since Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine and in doing so bring forward expectations of a shortfall in cobalt supply. But with other projects ramping up or in the pipeline, stockpiles to be worked through, and a short-term approach to raw materials procurement, Chinese battery-related buyers are skeptical they will be affected by tightness i...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday August 20. Please click...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange continued to fall on Tuesday August 20, ending the day down by 0.3% at the afternoon kerb to $15,860 per tonne, compared with Monday's close at $15,920 per tonne.The LME's nickel inventory volumes stayed flat during the day's trading. The September/three-month spread was in a backwardation of $40 per tonne and the cash/three-month spread in...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices for premium hard coking coal materials firmed this week on continued buying activity from China. A cargo of top-quality Australian premium low-vol materials changed hands at $167.25 per tonne cfr China, with a mid-vol quality cargo changing hands at $160 per tonne cfr China, sources said on Tuesday August 20. The trades resulted in Fastmarkets' daily index for premium h...Read More
Cobalt prices have risen by more than 25% since Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine and in doing so bring forward expectations of a shortfall in cobalt supply. But with other projects ramping up or in the pipeline, stockpiles to be worked through, and a short-term approach to raw materials procurement, Chinese battery-related buyers are skeptical they will be affected by tightness i...Read More
Prices for most flat steel products imported into the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia decreased on lower offers heard in the week ended Tuesday August 20, with demand yet to recover after the Eid al-Adha religious holiday last week.The market was expected to improve later in the month, when the holiday season comes to an end.UAEOffers on imports of hot-rolled coil (HRC) from China and Japan...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday August 20 that are worth another look.Cobalt prices have risen by more than 25% since Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine and - in doing so - brought forward expectations of a shortfall in cobalt supply.Namibia-based tin mining company Afritin Mining has begun mining in the Erongo district of Namibia, producing it...Read More