With economic growth still deteriorating - the United States' second quarter gross domestic product (GDP) came in at 2.1%, compared with 3.1% in the first quarter - the markets have little to cheer about this morning, Monday July 29.Economic headwinds, geopolitical tension in the Middle East and in Hong Kong, combined with some record equity levels make for an unstable market platform.A likely US...Read More
Spot cobalt prices continued to grind lower in the international market in the week ending July 26, with traders showing a limited appetite to restock despite prices sitting at multi-year lows. Fastmarkets assessed the alloy-grade cobalt price, in-whs Rotterdam, at $12.45-13 per lb on Friday July 26, a fall of 0.8% from the previous assessment. Fastmarkets assessed the price for standard-grade cob...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil sellers cut prices on Monday July 29 amid weak demand, while the news that the government will exempt some companies from winter production cuts also weighed on market sentiment.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,830-3,840 yuan ($557-558) per tonne, down 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,820 yuan per tonneSpot prices nationwide dropped following lo...Read More
Merchant bar quality (MBQ) steel prices in the United States remained flat month over month, although some sources reported seeing improved market activity in certain regions of the country.Fastmarkets monthly assessment for steel bar 2 x 2 x 1/4 -inch angle merchant products, fob mill US, remained at a 16-month low of $33.80 per hundredweight ($676 per short ton) on Friday July 26 after falling...Read More
The Saudi Arabian government is planning to impose a new export duty on steel rebar, market participants told Fastmarkets on Monday July 29.No official announcement about a new duty had been made before the story was published in a local newspaper, which quoted a spokesperson from the Ministry of Commerce & Investment saying that the government will impose the duty soon.The...Read More
Slower buying activity and lower bids from customers have forced CIS wire rod suppliers to reduce their export offer prices at the end of this month, Fastmarkets learnt on Monday July 29.Russia-origin wire rod was available to foreign customers at $490 per tonne fob Black Sea, down by $10 per tonne week on week. A European trader was bidding around $485 per tonne fob. But this price was rejected b...Read More
Turkish steel mills have reported no bookings in the deep-sea scrap markets at the start of this week although they were still need to buy more material for August, sources said on Monday July 29.After booking four deep-sea cargoes last week, the mills stepped out of the deep-sea markets because of weak demand for finished long steel, those sources added."I believe the mills will need to buy few m...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have remained unchanged over the past week because of the slowness of the finished steel markets in summer, sources said on Monday July 29.Almost all of the mills kept their buy prices for local scrap unchanged from the previous week.Only ID??, the long steel mill in the Izmir region,...Read More
Singapore Exchange's (SGX) 65% Fe iron ore derivative contract hit a monthly-traded volume of 2.0397 million tonnes as on Monday July 29, the highest since the contract's launch on December 3, 2018.Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $117.99 per tonne, down $0.32 per tonne. Fastmarkets' index for iron ore 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines, cfr Qingdao: $1117.91 per t...Read More
Prices for UG2 chrome ore in China rose strongly for the second consecutive week over the seven days ended Friday July 26, but weak profitability for smelters raised questions about the durability of this recovery. UG2 ore market in China increases by $7 per tonne Domestic spot alloy price rises in China, imported alloy stable High carbon alloy prices in Europe, US stableThe chrome ore price conti...Read More
The monthly European alloy steel surcharges for August have increased from the levels for July following a recent surge in nickel prices, Fastmarkets heard on Monday July 29.Fsatmarkets' stainless steel cold-rolled sheet, 2mm grade 304 alloy surcharge, domestic, Europe, is likely to rise to ?,?1,337-1,382 ($1,487-1,537) per tonne for August, according to data released by Outokumpu, Acerinox and Ap...Read More
China's stainless crude steel production increased over the first six months of 2019 amid steady growth in demand.Stainless steel mills produced 14.35 million tonnes of stainless crude steel in January-June period, up 1.13 million tonnes - or 8.51% - from an adjusted 13.22 million tonnes in the first half of last year, according to the China Stainless Steel Council (CSSC) late last Friday Jul...Read More
Global crude steel production was at 158.98 million tonnes in June, up 4.6% from 152 million tonnes a year ago, according to data released by the World Steel Association (Worldsteel).Output from Chinese steelmakers was 87.53 million tonnes, a 10% increase from 79.59 million tonnes in June 2018. India's output rose 4% to 9.34 million, while Japanese...Read More
China's stainless crude steel production increased over the first six months of 2019 amid steady growth in demand.Stainless steel mills produced 14.35 million tonnes of stainless crude steel in January-June period, up 1.13 million tonnes - or 8.51% - from an adjusted 13.22 million tonnes in the first half of last year, according to the China Stainless Steel Council (CSSC) late last Friday Jul...Read More
Brazilian steel and iron ore producer Usiminas plans to sell a total of 9 million tonnes of iron ore this year, while production is expected to remain close to 8 million tonnes, chief executive officer of the company's mining unit, Carlos H?(C)ctor Rezzonico, said on Friday July 26.Last year, Usiminas's mining division produced 5.65 million tonnes of iron ore and sold a total 6.47 million tonnes.T...Read More
The rise in Chinese ferro-vanadium prices continued to be the principal driver for the European market in the week ended Friday July 26, pushing prices above $30 per kg. Chinese, European ferro-vanadium prices continue to climb on improved sentiment V2O5 price in China moves up 3.1% amid tightness, but Europe lags behind US prices unchanged on quiet spot market.Despite the lack of transactions, th...Read More
Prices for UG2 chrome ore in China rose strongly for the second consecutive week over the seven days ended Friday July 26, but weak profitability for smelters raised questions about the durability of this recovery. UG2 ore market in China increases by $7 per tonne Domestic spot alloy price rises in China, imported alloy stable High carbon alloy prices in Europe, US stableThe chrome ore price conti...Read More
The monthly European alloy steel surcharges for August have increased from the levels for July following a recent surge in nickel prices, Fastmarkets heard on Monday July 29.Fsatmarkets' stainless steel cold-rolled sheet, 2mm grade 304 alloy surcharge, domestic, Europe, is likely to rise to ?,?1,337-1,382 ($1,487-1,537) per tonne for August, according to data released by Outokumpu, Acerinox and Ap...Read More
Norsk Hydro learned some important lessons from its experiences following heavy rainfall at its Alunorte refinery in Brazil, particularly the need to improve community relations, chief executive officer Hilde Merete Aasheim said. Alunorte has been a "very difficult situation" for Hydro for the past 18 months, she told Fastmarkets during an interview in New YorkHeavy rainfall in Par?? in February l...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday July 29 that are worth another look.The Peruvian federal government is drafting a new mining code to ensure legal certainty and social responsibility in the development of projects in the country, national president Mart?-n Vizcarra said on Sunday July 28 during the country's independence day festivities. The announcement wa...Read More