China's new energy vehicle (NEV) subsidies in 2019 will only be payable for electric vehicles with higher driving range and energy density, while the value of the subsidy will be reduced by 50% to a maximum of 25,000 yuan ($3,725) per vehicle produced. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released the new subsidy policy for 2019 on Tuesday March 26, which shows another re...Read More
Import prices for stainless steel in East Asia remained steady over the past week amid a lack of trading activity, with sellers maintaining their offer levels despite buying interest being weak due to nickel's downtrend.Fastmarkets' weekly import price assessment for benchmark 304 stainless 2mm trimmed cold-rolled coil in East Asia was unchanged at $2,040-2,130 per tonne cif on Wednesday Marc...Read More
Chinese industrial profits were down by 14% in January-February compared with a year ago, marking the biggest fall since 2011. The data paints a worrying picture while the negative economic impact from China's deleveraging activities in 2018, as well the bitter US-China trade war, continue to take a heavy toll on major industrial sectors.The overnight release of this data put base metals prices un...Read More
China's intention to cut the rate of value-added tax to 13% has already been credited for an increase in imported ore prices and having a bearish effect on alloys, Fastmarkets heard on Wednesday March 27.The rate of VAT in the east Asian country applicable to manufacturers will be lowered from April 1 by 3 percentage points, to 13%, with the intention of stimulating China's slowing economy.The tax...Read More
The European Commission has started an in-depth investigation into Novelis' proposed acquisition of Aleris over concerns that the deal may reduce competition in the semi-finished aluminium market and lead to rising prices.US-based Novelis, a subsidiary of India's Hindalco, and Aleris are both global downstream aluminium product producers. In Europe, the two companies have operations in Belgium, Ge...Read More
London Metal Exchange three-month base metals prices continue to produce sluggish price action, down 0.2% on average in the morning of Thursday March 28. Copper bucked the trend with a mild gain of 0.1% while aluminium was unchanged at $1,903 per tonne. But LME zinc and lead prices were down 0.1% while nickel and tin were down 0.5%. Trading volume was fairly subdued at 4,325 lots as of 6:48am Lond...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were mixed this morning. S&P 500 futures were unchanged in pre-opening trade. Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of economic news at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus for Weekly Jobless Claims was an increase to 225,000 from downwardly revised 216,000 last week. Actual was 211,000. Consensus for next estimate of fourth quarter real GDP was a fall to 2.4% fr...Read More
Norsk Hydro's Alunorte alumina refinery, located in Brazil's northern state of Par??, is expected to operate at 75-80% of its capacity two months after the receipt of approval from the Brazilian federal court in Bel?(C)m, Norsk Hydro Brazil's executive vice president of bauxite and alumina said.According to John Thuestad, this approval, which will be debated at an April 4 meeting between Hydro and...Read More
A summary of base metals premiums from across the globe for the week to Tuesday March 26.Please click...Read More
Nickel's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange was higher at the close of trading on Tuesday March 26, at $13,105 per tonne, with dip-buying emerging despite continued strength in the US dollar index. The US dollar index was just under the psychological level of 97. Total LME nickel stocks remain at their lowest level in seven years at 183,582 tonnes, with just 116,292 tonnes on-warr...Read More
Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Tuesday March 26 that are worth another look.The London Metal Exchange has announced a six-month suspension of listing fees for new cobalt brands on the exchange in a note to members on Tuesday March 26 amid emerging liquidity concerns from producers. There are no concerns surrounding the availability of bauxite to meet ongoin...Read More
Norsk Hydro's Alunorte alumina refinery, located in Brazil's northern state of Par??, is expected to operate at 75-80% of its capacity two months after the receipt of approval from the Brazilian federal court in Bel?(C)m, Norsk Hydro Brazil's executive vice president of bauxite and alumina said.According to John Thuestad, this approval, which will be debated at an April 4 meeting between Hydro and...Read More
The government of Guinea is seeking to develop and integrate its mining sector in order to use the country's mineral resources to secure diversified domestic economic growth, according to the west African country's minister of mines and geology.Abdoulaye Magassouba told delegates to Fastmarkets' 25th annual bauxite and alumina conference in Miami, on Tuesday March 26, that a key driver for his gov...Read More
The London Metal Exchange has announced a six-month suspension of listing fees for new cobalt brands on the exchange in a note to members on Tuesday March 26, amid emerging liquidity concerns from producers."[A] number of cobalt producers have indicated a desire to list their brand on the LME," the exchange said in the note, "but have expressed concerns that, in the event that the 'user choice' mo...Read More
Fastmarkets has extended the consultation period for a proposed change to the specification of its domestic Chinese indium price assessment until Tuesday April 23.On February 25, Fastmarkets proposed to increase the minimum tonnage of its domestic Chinese indium price assessment to 50 kilograms to better reflect the dynamics of the market.The goal of a minimum tonnage is to exclude any deal that,...Read More
Steelmakers in Turkey continued to stay out of the deep-sea scrap market on Tuesday, March 26, due to the volatile Turkish lira, sources told Fastmarkets.Having slumped to TRY100 to $17.41 on Monday - compared with TRY100 to $18.31 on March 18 - the lira regained some ground following an intervention by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (TCMB). The currency had been de...Read More
The government of Guinea is seeking to develop and integrate its mining sector in order to use the country's mineral resources to secure diversified domestic economic growth, according to the west African country's minister of mines and geology.Abdoulaye Magassouba told delegates to Fastmarkets' 25th annual bauxite and alumina conference in Miami, on Tuesday March 26, that a key driver for his gov...Read More
Northwest China's non-ferrous metals producer-Baiyin Nonferrous Group will suspend one third of its zinc production lines from March 26 for a 20-day planned maintenance period, market sources told Fastmarkets MB.The company runs six, zinc operation lines and will halt two from today until the middle of April. "About 2,500 tonnes of zinc will be removed in Baiyin during March 26-31 [because of the...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange had a mixed start to trading on Tuesday March 26 while recessionary fears subsided. The US 10-year bond yield has rebounded off the 2017 lows reached on Monday, providing global markets with some relief and allowing Asian equity indexes to trade confidently higher on the back of improved risk sentiment.In terms of volume, a total of 4,497...Read More
The prices for flat steel products imported into the United Arab Emirates have been stable over the past week with levels of demand remaining low but consistent, Fastmarkets heard on Tuesday March 26.Demand among end-users has been weak, so buyers were unwilling to place orders for large tonnages, sources told Fastmarkets.In addition, some market participants were expecting prices to come down bec...Read More