Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday August 2 that are worth another look.Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly weaker at the close of trading on Friday August 2. The downturn was largely prompted by fresh tariff threats against China by United States President Donald Trump that sparked caution among investors and prompt...Read More
Sentiment in financial markets continues to weaken following last week’s collapse of US-China trade talks and US president Donald Trump’s latest threat of tariffs on Chinese goods.Equities in Asia tumbled this morning, Monday August 5, and the yuan has dropped below seven to the dollar - the first time since 2008. Weakness in Asian currencies suggests wide-scale market unease. Base...Read More
U.S. equity index futures moved sharply lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 44 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to growing tensions between the U.S. and China. China retaliated over the weekend following an increase in tariffs announced by the U.S. on Friday.Other major world equity indices also moved lower. The Nikkei dropped 367 to 20,720, The Shanghai Composite...Read More
Aluminium billet in the United States on Friday August 2 traded at its lowest premium since 2017 due to weak demand, while premiums in Europe, Brazil and Thailand were flat in quiet trading conditions. US premium falls to lowest since February 2017No change in quiet European marketBrazilian market flat on weak economyThailand market unchanged due to stable supply US billet upcharge sinks to Februa...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly weaker at the close of trading on Friday August 2, with copper leading losses and falling by some 2.2% to reach its lowest level since June 2017 amid a sharp sell-off across the complex.Largely prompted by fresh tariff threats against China from United States president Trump, investors took caution and reduced risk-expo...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in China, Europe and the United States for the week ending Friday August 2. China UG2 chrome ore prices rose for the fourth consecutive week amid steady consumer demand.Transaction volumes were lower than in previous weeks, indicating that the recent surge in buying activity may be slowing.Domestic ferro-chrome spot prices remained stable following the release by...Read More
Low-grade manganese ore prices have given up most of July's gains in the past two weeks due to lower offers and general risk aversion in China. Fastmarkets' manganese ore index 37% Mn, cif Tianjin, dropped 12 cents to $5.39 per dmtu on Friday August 2 after producers reported aggressive counter-bids from buyers in China, prompting them to offer low to secure sales. Some deals were reported as...Read More
China imported 52.6 million tonnes of bauxite in the first six months of 2019, up by 30.2% year on year, according to official but unconfirmed data seen by Fastmarkets. This compares with the 40.4 million tonnes imported in January-June 2018. The increase was largely attributed to supply tightness in the Chinese domestic market, resulting from supply-side disruptions amid frequent environmental in...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Price movements in the global ferrous scrap markets were mixed in the past week. Poor demand in India and Turkey caused prices to fall or remain stable, but Asian scrap buyers have accepted increased prices because of higher settlements in the domestic market of the principal supplier, the United States. Weak downstream markets keep Turkish mills away from spot market Higher freight cost pushes do...Read More
Soaring iron ore prices have pushed Chinese hot metal costs up above those for ferrous scrap over recent months, stimulating greater use of the secondary raw material, according to calculations by Fastmarkets' research team. Fastmarkets' Steel Cost Service updates for the first and second quarters of 2019 detail average global integrated (BOF-route) plant's crude steel costs rose to an average of...Read More
UK and European alloy steel scrap prices have increased over the past week due to higher nickel costs, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday August 2.The price of nickel, 3 months, London Metal Exchange Daily Official, was $14,520-14,525 per tonne on August 2, up from $14,100-14,125 per tonne on July 26.As a result,...Read More
Sentiment in financial markets has weakened further after US president Donald Trump announced the United States will impose a 10% tariff on $300 billion of Chinese goods from September 1.This sent equities scurrying for cover with the Nikkei, Hang Seng and CSI 300 off by an average of 2.2% on the morning of Friday August 2, while gold prices approached recent highs again overnight as investors sou...Read More
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 Fastmarkets' price assessment for alloy-grade cobalt, in-whs Rotterdam, $...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
China's lithium market continued to move down on ample availability of material and depressed demand, leading the battery-grade lithium hydroxide spot price to sharply fall over the week to August 1.Seaborne Asian lithium spot prices followed the domestic price in China with small price adjustments, while the battery-grade lithium hydroxide price in Europe and the United States dropped. The Chines...Read More
Turkish prices for hot-dipped galvanized coil (HDG) and color-coated coil decreased over the week ended Friday August 2, with demand reported to be weak in both the local and export markets.Coated coil producers started to give discounts because of the slow market activity.Domestic pricesDemand in the country's local market was soft over the pricing week due to the summer holiday season.One produc...Read More