Manganese ore exports from South Africa increased by 14% year on year to reach a record 1.61 million tonnes in March, shipping data shows.The total also represents a 13% increase compared with February 2019. The vast bulk of material went to China, which accepted just over 1 million tonnes, also a 14% year-on-year increase and an 11% month-on-month...Read More
Fastmarkets is extending the consultation period for its proposal to revise the frequency and specification of its copper concentrate treatment & refining charges (TC/RC) index until April 19.With regard to the frequency, responses to the original consultation agreed that the market is in need of a weekly index.In terms of the specification, the consultation on the base and range of concentra...Read More
Metals traders in Switzerland are feeling the brunt of a pullback from trade financing activities by banker Credit Suisse, after a 2018 deal turned sour and left the bank less keen to be exposed to the high-risk, low-margin commodities business.The Zurich-based bank is a principal supplier of financing to Switzerland's commodities trading community, from crude oil to copper concentrates to alumini...Read More
With the annual Minor Metals Trade Association (MMTA) conference kicking off on Tuesday April 9 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Fastmarkets looks at the price moves in the minor metals complex since last year's conference. There is a general bearish mood in the minor metals complex heading into the conference this year in contrast to last year's multi-year highs set in most of the markets. Most of the min...Read More
Cobalt market participants have been keeping an eye out for potential non-industrial buying, such as stockpiling from China's State Reserve Bureau (SRB), since global metal prices slid to two-year lows at the beginning of this year.A spotlight has been cast on the Chinese bureau ever since it carried out extensive research into major Chinese producers' products and output in the first quarter of t...Read More
Participants in the long steel market in the European Union were hoping for price stability through April after recent sluggish demand and cautious buying activity, sources within the sector told Fastmarkets this week."The Spanish market is weak in price terms but consumption is improving," one trader said. "European mills have been more aggressive [in terms of price] so there has not been much im...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained silent in the scrap market for a third day on Thursday April 4, making no purchases of deep-sea cargoes while continuing to look for political clarity, sources told Fastmarkets.Mills continued to await official confirmation of the results of Turkey's countrywide mayoral elections, which were held on March 31.The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has c...Read More
Cobalt market participants have been keeping an eye out for potential non-industrial buying, such as stockpiling from China's State Reserve Bureau (SRB), since global metal prices slid to two-year lows at the beginning of this year.A spotlight has been cast on the Chinese bureau ever since it carried out extensive research into major Chinese producers' products and output in the first quarter of t...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 basis. Delivered prices are netted back. Fastmarkets prices Click here for Fastmarkets' price assessment for standard-grade cobalt, in-warehouse, $ per lb Click here for Fastmarkets' price assessment for alloy-grade cobalt, in-warehouse, $ per lb In light...Read More
Spanish crude steel production fell to 14.3 million tonnes in 2018, marginally down from 14.4 million tonnes in 2017, according to Unesid, the country's steel association.Domestic steel consumption in Spain rose by 12.6% year on year to 14.3 million tonnes in 2018."This significant rise [in consumption] was influenced by the better market conditions, but also by the notable rise in imports from th...Read More
Domestic prices for heavy steel plate in Southern Europe have been stable over the past week despite decline of slab prices and low demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic grade-S235JR heavy steel plate in Southern Europe was ?,?555-570 ($623-640) per tonne ex-works on April 3, unchanged over the week.The assessment reflects the deals and offers...Read More
Competition regulators in the European Union have rescheduled their decision in the creation of a 50:50 European flat-steel joint venture between ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel Europe to June 5 this year, the European Commission (EC) said on April 1."[On Monday], ThyssenKrupp and Tata Steel submitted a comprehensive package of proposed solutions to the European Commission to obtain clearance for the...Read More
Prices for steel rebar in the United States were steady for the moment, but market sentiment has become more mixed on reports that seasonal spring demand had yet to be heard or to provide a widespread boost to marketplace activity.Fastmarkets' assessment of the price of US domestic rebar remained at $35.25-36.50 per hundredweight ($705-730 per short ton) fob mill on Wednesday April 3.At the same t...Read More
Brazilian flat and long steel import volumes dropped year on year in March 2019, mainly due to reduced shipments from China, according to figures released this week by Brazil's foreign trade ministry, MDIC.Imports of flat steel products into the country declined by 5.05% year-on-year in March, to 121,515 tonnes, from 127,981 tonnes.China was the largest provider of flat steel to Brazil, with 93,91...Read More
Participants in the long steel market in the European Union were hoping for price stability through April after recent sluggish demand and cautious buying activity, sources within the sector told Fastmarkets this week."The Spanish market is weak in price terms but consumption is improving," one trader said. "European mills have been more aggressive [in terms of price] so there has not been much im...Read More
Turkish steel producers remained silent in the scrap market for a third day on Thursday April 4, making no purchases of deep-sea cargoes while continuing to look for political clarity, sources told Fastmarkets.Mills continued to await official confirmation of the results of Turkey's countrywide mayoral elections, which were held on March 31.The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has c...Read More
Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) plans to ship its first cargo of the high-grade iron ore concentrate product from its Iron Bridge Magnetite Project in Western Australia by mid-2022.The project will be able to produce iron ore at a rate of 22 million wet metric tonnes (wmt) per year or 20 million dry metric tonnes (dmt) per year once it reaches full capacity within the 12 months to mid-2023, the miner...Read More
Physical iron ore prices were range-bound on Thursday April 4 after spikes earlier in the week, with China entering a long weekend from Friday to Sunday for the Tomb Sweeping Festival.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $92.90 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down by $0.18 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $92.02 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down by $0.18 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $95.53...Read More
Export prices for CIS-origin billet dipped on Tuesday April 4, due to limited trading activity in outlet markets, sources told Fastmarkets. Fastmarkets' daily CIS export billet index was $442 per tonne fob Black Sea on April 4, down by $3 per tonne.CIS mills have been...Read More
The Turkish billet import market was very quiet this week, with demand for imported material still soft and the export and domestic markets also slow, sources said on Thursday April 4.The suppliers in the CIS region decreased their offers to $455-465 per tonne cfr because of the poor demand and weakening scrap prices.Fastmarkets' daily index for Northern Europe-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) scrap, the fe...Read More