Recent optimism for an uptrend in global alumina prices has been knocked by the news that the Federal Court in Bel?(C)m, Brazil, has removed a production embargo on Norsk Hydro's Alunorte alumina refinery, sources told Fastmarkets on the sidelines of the Alumina & Bauxite conference in Zhengzhou, China on May 16-17. This is the first of two production embargoes that need to be removed but sou...Read More
Aluminium's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange appreciated during morning trading on Thursday May 16, climbing to an intraday high of $1,864 per tonne after it was buoyed by a fresh cancelation of 33,050 tonnes. The climb marks the light metal's highest price since April 26, but its three-month price has not traded above $1,900 per tonne since April 5, despite more than 400,000 tonnes...Read More
Although metals markets were mixed this morning, Thursday May 16, the downward trends on the charts seem to have halted; key now will be whether buying and short-covering follows. At least US President Donald Trump's delaying for six months his decision on whether to impose tariffs on imported vehicles and vehicle parts from Japan and Europe has not further broadened the trade war.US treasury yiel...Read More
The Federal Court in Bel?(C)m, Brazil, lifted a production embargo on Norsk Hydro's Alunorte alumina refinery under the civil lawsuit on Wednesday May 15. This is the first of two production embargoes that need to be lifted before the refinery can resume full operations. Alunorte is still subject to a production embargo imposed by the same court in a parallel criminal lawsuit. Alunorte will contin...Read More
Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange exhibited broad-based strength for a second day in a row during morning trading on Thursday May 16, with nickel once again leading the charge higher - though gains were more tempered in the alloying metal compared with Wednesday.The most-traded July nickel contract on the SHFE stood at 97,710 yuan ($14,209) per tonne as at 9.46am Shanghai time on...Read More
Turkish rebar export prices have gone down over the past week because of the limited levels of current demand, sources said on Thursday May 16.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for rebar exports out of Turkey was $450-460 per tonne fob on an actual weight basis on May 16, down from last week's $460-470 per tonne.The...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices rose on Thursday May 16, but pessimism continued to cast a pall over the market with trading activity remaining persistently thin.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,000-4,010 yuan ($582-583) per tonne, up 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,890-3,900 yuan per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneSpot prices rose after mills raised their offers in response to...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices rose further on Thursday May 16 on gains in the billet and futures markets, though trading activity fell in response to the increases.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,020-4,040 yuan ($585-587) per tonne, up 20-30 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,950-4,000 yuan per tonne, up 20 yuan per tonneMills raised their offers following the gains in the futures mark...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for rebar, wire rod, steel beams and other long steel products. Latest transaction: rebarRebar East China, domestic, grade III...Read More
The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil, hot-dipped galvanized coil, pre-painted galvanized iron, steel plate, steel sheet and other flat steel products. Latest transaction: hot-rolled coilHot-rolled coilEast China, domestic, commercial-grade...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices jumped closer to the $100-per-tonne-cfr mark while setting a five-year high on Thursday May 16 amid bullish market sentiment.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $99.21 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $2.26 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $97.40 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $1.77 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $102.80 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $4.27 pe...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, Global Ore, 170,000 tonnes of 62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, traded at $97.40 per tonne cfr China, laycan...Read More
The seaborne coking coal spot market was inundated with offers on Thursday May 16 although the high asking prices kept buyers at bay.At least 11 cargoes of premium hard coking coal and two cargoes of second-tier hard coking coal are being offered to buyers in China, according to various sources.Top Australian brands were offered at around $215-216 per tonne cfr China while two cargoes of other bra...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday May 16 that are worth another look.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly higher at the close of trading on Thursday May 16, with trade uncertainties broadly priced in while a stronger dollar tempered commodity buying during afternoon trading.Metals trader Glencore has reshuffled its c...Read More
Six key takeaways from the Cobalt Institute's annual conference in Hong Kong on May 15-16, 2019.Cobalt prices likely to oscillate either side of $15 per lbSupplies of cobalt metal remained limited but the upside for prices would be capped as long as the hydroxide market was in a surplus.Prices were expected to fall over the summer due to weaker seasonal demand, before rebounding as they did at the...Read More
Metals trader Glencore has reshuffled its cobalt team, with David Brocas leading the company's cobalt trading since Franck Schulders has gone on sabbatical.The changes took effect in the past few weeks, Glencore told...Read More
British ferro-alloys producer FE Mottram, the biggest producer of ferro-titanium in Europe, intends to restart production in the third quarter of 2019 after a fire damaged its plant in April, according to an industry source.FE Mottram, which is owned by Belgium-based ferro-alloys and metals trader Metraco, stopped production at its plant in Sheffield, northern England, after a furnace exploded on...Read More
The European molybdenum market has continued the downtrend seen late last week and edged down in the first half of the week that began on Monday May 13, although oxide prices remained unchanged.Fastmarkets assessed the price of European ferro-molybdenum, min 65%, in-warehouse Rotterdam, at $28.50-28.85 per kg on May 15, down from the assessment on May 10 of $28.80-29.10 per kg.Few deals for large...Read More
Demand for stainless steel in China's domestic market was steady over the past week, but trade tensions between the country and the United States are starting to show signs of weighing on prices.The Fastmarkets MB domestic price assessment for benchmark 304 stainless cold-rolled coil in the major market of Wuxi was 14,000-14,400 yuan ($2,036-2,094) per tonne including value-added tax for the week...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 22 points in pre-opening trade. Trade war concerns between China and the U.S. were elevated overnight.Today is triple witching day when May equity and index options and futures last trade. Look for volumes in U.S. equity markets to be higher than average. Applied Materials gained $0.79 to $42.45 after reporting higher...Read More