Seaborne coking coal prices softened further on Tuesday August 6 with bearishness extending amid limited buying from traders. A cargo of premium mid-vol product with laycan in the second half of August traded recently at $164 per tonne cfr China, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday. This compared with similar materials heard sold at $165.50-166 per tonne cfr around the past weekend. A top-brand ca...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices continued to retreat on Tuesday August 6 with sellers still more pressured than buyers to complete deals. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $97.55 per tonne, down $3.01 per tonne. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines, cfr Qingdao: $96.05 per tonne, down $3.01 per tonne. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe low alumina fines,...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 transactions: iron oreIron oreRio Tinto, bilateral sale, 170,000 tonnes of 62% Fe Pilbara Blend...Read More
The imported steel billet market in Algeria is expected to become tighter by the end of the year amid the development of local production capacities, sources told Fastmarkets."The [import billet market] is very close. It's not easy to do business with the two majors buyers of billet [Tosyali and Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS)]. Besides, Tosyali is working with [direct reduced iron] DRI and AQS will w...Read More
Brazilian iron ore exports fell by 4.7% on the year in July, with Vale's successful resumption of some of its suspended operations slowing the rate of decrease in comparison with those a few months earlier, data released last week by Brazil's ministry of economy showed.The country exported 34.27 million tonnes of the steelmaking raw material last month, compared with 35.96 million tonnes a year ea...Read More
Physical tin market participants disagree over the next move in the price, with some telling Fastmarkets that it could rebound after a slide of more than 12% over the past two months although weak demand and erratic stock moves continue to dent momentum. On the London Metal Exchange, the three-month tin price has fallen by 12.7% since June 5 from above $19,000 per tonne. The price is also down by...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices held steady on Tuesday August 6, but export prices for the long steel product fell as a result of a weaker yuan. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,770-3,800 yuan ($538-542) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,730-3,760 yuan per tonne, unchangedTraders kept prices flat during the day to see how the futures market develops.Sellers would not have been able...Read More
Observers of the copper market are looking at a trend that started in 2001 to determine where the market could find support after five days of successive selling took the price to two-year lows by Monday August 5.At $5,665 per tonne, the London Metal Exchange's benchmark three-month copper futures contract was down by 5.9% since Tuesday last week, having sold off again on Monday amid a worsening d...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were collectively higher during morning trading on Tuesday August 6, with lead futures leading the way with a 1.4% uptick.Pressuring the lead price lower in recent weeks, fresh inflows of just under 30,000 tonnes staggered across July 30-August 2 led the commodity to shed around 6% of its price and slip below the $2,000-per-tonne support...Read More
Hong Kong Exchange (HKEX) introduced six new dollar-dominated base metals mini contracts on Monday August 5 to provide more convenient arbitrage or hedging tools and a lower trading threshold for investors globally.The aluminium, zinc, copper, nickel, tin and lead contracts are cash-settled against the LME closing price of the third Wednesday of the spot month and trade on a monthly basis. There w...Read More
Aluminium premiums in Rotterdam and throughout Europe remained resilient through July, driven by tighter supplies in the region and favorable spreads on the London Metal Exchange.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam, which is the region's benchmark, at a one-year high of $95-105 per tonne on Monday August 5. The premium, which rose to its current level on July 22...Read More
Merafe Resources' earnings fell by 45% in in the first half of the year due to lower chrome ore and ferro-chrome prices, it said.The South African chrome producer, which runs a joint venture with trader-miner Glencore, reported earnings before interest tax, interest, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) of 435.1 million rand ($29.44 million) for the first six months of this year, down from 796.3...Read More
Ferro-chrome production cuts are likely due to today's low pricing environment, prompting a rebound in the market when supply surpluses shrink, Merafe Resources said on Monday August 5. The South African chrome producer, which runs a joint venture project with trader-miner Glencore, said price and exchange rate volatility are expected to continue to affect the market while global uncertainty will...Read More
Chinese imports of manganese ore totaled 15.7 million tonnes in the first six months of 2019, up by 27.8% from around 12.3 million tonnes in the corresponding period of 2018, according to official but unconfirmed data seen by Fastmarkets. In June, China imported about 2.03 million tonnes of manganese ore, marking an increase of around 3% from 1.97 million tonnes last June, despite being down by 39...Read More
The Chinese ferro-silicon market was unmoved over the past week, but is expected to weaken in line with soft consumer buying interest and futures prices. In Europe, spot ferro-silicon prices have pared losses against tighter availability, although the bounce may be limited given subdued buying interest from steelmakers. Chinese market prepares for price losses while steelmakers show resistance to...Read More
We have long held the view that there is a race against time between the trade disputes tipping the global economy toward recession and a trade deal spurring growth while businesses restock as their confidence recovers. For now, the slip toward recession seems to be winning. Equities in Asia were mixed on Wednesday August 7 after a mixed performance in western markets on Tuesday, but more central...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 11 points in pre-opening trade. Walt Disney dropped $5.86 to $136.01 after reporting lower than consensus fiscal third quarter earnings. Weight Watchers (WW $21.01) is expected to open higher after reporting higher than consensus second quarter earnings. The company also raised guidance. CVS Health advanced $2.41 to $...Read More
Aluminium premiums were largely stable in the global markets in the week ended Tuesday August 6, except in the US Midwest, where a lack of demand pushed the premium downward. US Midwest premium falls to lowest since March MJP premium stable but some lower deals heard due to financial year-end stock clearing European market flat with activity expected to resume later this month.US Midwest premium s...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday August 6. Please click...Read More
UC Rusal has suspended operations at Russia's biggest alumina plant in Achinsk due to a series of blasts at a Russian military base nearby, sources close to the matter told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 6.Market participants said that a fire broke out at a nearby military base and an explosion was heard, which led Rusal - the largest aluminium producer outside China - to suspend its operations at...Read More