The temporary truce on tariffs between China and the United States could be over, injecting a new round of uncertainty into the global financial markets and suspending hopes that a resolution to the countries' trade impasse was likely.US President Donald Trump has threatened to raise the tariff on $200 billion-worth of Chinese imports to 25% from 10% by Friday May 10. He also said that the US may...Read More
China's month-on-month new electric vehicles (NEV) sales rebounded in August after month-on-month declines in June and July. The drop in sales between May and June was the first drop since September 2016, but Fastmarkets MB had expected Chinese NEV sales to dip temporarily after the June subsidy changes came into effect because consumers and NEV manufacturers would have to adjust to the new subsid...Read More
Iron ore prices fell sharply in the second half of November after climbing through October, with prices for higher-grade material pioneering the decline.Fastmarkets MB daily benchmark for 65% Fe fines dropped by 22% by Monday November 26 after peaking on October 29. The 62% Fe iron ore index declined by 16% over the period, as some Chinese steelmakers started to seek larger volumes of cheaper ores...Read More
The steel scrap sector in the United States still depends on exports to Turkey, a member of the Fastmarkets research team said during the ferrous session at the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference in London.This dependence persists despite the changes in the international markets created by the US' imposition of its Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel products, metals analyst Le...Read More
Seaborne pig iron has become relatively competitive versus ferrous scrap over the past year in most regions, and China is no exception. As the first chart below illustrates, the gap between the MBR's proxy for imported pig iron price in China and the Metal Bulletin's Chinese domestic heavy melt scrap price assessment had shrunk by late 2017. The premium averaged $17 per tonne this year to date, co...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday June 7 that are worth another look.The outlook for continuing Chinese demand for copper scrap from the United States, especially No2 copper (birch/cliff), is cautiously optimistic among market participants. In base metals, the ongoing trade war between the US and China is dampening investor interest in the primary copper ind...Read More
Global risk sentiment improved on Monday June 10 after the United States reached a last-minute trade deal with Mexico over the weekend, averting the imposition of a 5% tariff on all Mexican goods entering the US.The positive trade development has paved the way for the London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices to recover higher this morning as investors’ appetite for risk assets ret...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 13 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures responded to news that the U.S. and Mexico have reached an agreement that will postpone tariffs on Mexican imports to the U.S.The Canadian Dollar slipped 0.04 to U.S.75.32 cents following the Canadian May Housing Starts report released at 8:15 AM EDT. Consensus was 205,000...Read More
Global aluminium billet premiums were mostly flat on Friday June 7 due to a lack of spot business, but the premium in Spain fell to its lowest since August 2017.Global aluminium billet premiums were mostly flat on Friday June 7 due to a lack of spot business, but the premium in Spain fell to its lowest since August 2017. Billet premiums in Germany, Italy stable Limited spot activity in US Argentin...Read More
Lead's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange was lower at the close of trading on Friday June 7, failing to sustain gains made earlier in the week but staying above its nearby $1,800 per tonne support level, while disappointing US job growth figures hung over the commodity markets.The three-month lead price reaching an intraday low of $1,820 per tonne, down by more than 3% since Thursday'...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 Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ended Friday June 7. China The imported charge chrome price nudged down amid low liquidity, with both sides of the market on the sidelines in advance of the next tender price announcements by China's major mills. The UG2 chrome ore...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Fastmarkets' alumina index fob Australia declined by 3.7% on Friday June 7 to its lowest since early May.The daily fob Australia alumina index fell to $349.39 per tonne from $362.66 per tonne the previous day. Key drivers: The most recent tender for Indian material concluded at $341.80 earlier today, pushing the index...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
Prices for alloy steel scrap in Europe and the UK were largely stable this week in a slow market where poor demand has been matched by limited supply, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday June 7."Demand has fallen off a cliff, but there's also really not a lot of supply - it has been very slow coming in. And the mills just don't need much [scrap]," a UK trader said.Fastmarkets' price assessment for...Read More
Global ferrous scrap prices moved downward during the week ended Friday June 7, notably in India and Taiwan, but prices in Turkey, the United States and Vietnam remaining unchanged on a lack of trading. Turkish market pauses for public holiday US export prices unchanged on lack of sales Vietnam prices flat on limited trading Taiwan prices dip on unconfirmed Turkish deal rumors Indian prices contin...Read More
The price of shredded ferrous scrap imported into India moved down week on week following poor demand, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday June 7.Fastmarkets' weekly index for containerized imports of shredded scrap into India was $324 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva on Friday, down from $330.40 per tonne cfr Nhava Sheva one week previous.Offer prices for shredded this week ranged from $320-327 per tonne...Read More