Comex copper prices started another week in negative territory with global trade volatility preventing a recovery. Copper for July settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 1.40 cents or 0.5% to $3.0130 per lb. Volatile global trading conditions continue to dampen investment after the United States' most recent announcement of a 20% import tariff on EU car im...Read More
The European Commission (EC) needs to wait before making a decision in the safeguard case until trade flow changes become clear because, currently, there is no threat to the EU steel market from imports, Tommaso Sandrini, president of Italian steel distributors' association Assofermet told Metal Bulletin.The EC opened an investigation in late March, in an attempt to prevent steel shipments being r...Read More
The London Metal Exchange will introduce three regional hot-rolled coil contracts at the start of 2019, coinciding with a change in attitude towards risk management tools for the ferrous sector, according to the exchange's business development manager. The contracts are aimed at the domestic markets in the United States and in Europe as well as the Chinese export market, said Marko Kusigerski...Read More
China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices softened further on Monday June 25 amid persistently weak demand, traders told Metal Bulletin.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,260-4,270 yuan ($655-656) per tonne, narrowing downward by 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,150-4,170 yuan per tonne, down 50 yuan per tonneMonday's price decline was due to weakening demand as a result of downstream b...Read More
The London Metal Exchange will introduce three regional hot-rolled coil contracts at the start of 2019, coinciding with a change in attitude towards risk management tools for the ferrous sector, according to the exchange's business development manager. The contracts are aimed at the domestic markets in the United States and in Europe as well as the Chinese export market, said Marko Kusigerski...Read More
Liberty House aims to make "more than $5 billion in investments over the next few years" across the United States and Canada following the restart of its rod mill in Georgetown, South Carolina, on Monday June 25."Of this [$5 billion] total, $1 billion is expected to be invested during the coming year to acquire and develop steel, aluminium, engineering, mining, energy generation, and financial ser...Read More
Swedish engineering group Sandvik has signed an agreement to sell its stainless wire business to Zapp Group. The deal includes the production unit in Sandviken, Sweden and the global sales organization, along with selected trademarks and patents and approximately 145 employees, the majority of which are in Sandviken. Revenues for the stainless wire business were 310 million SEK ($34.9 million) in...Read More
Turkish deep-sea scrap markets remained quiet on Monday June 25 due to the uncertainty in the market following the general elections in Turkey.Preliminary results from Turkey's presidential election on Sunday June 24 gave Recep Tayyip Erdogan a commanding lead, while his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) failed to win majority of the 600 parliamentary seats. However, the 'People's Al...Read More
Iron ore prices increased on Monday June 25 while lump premiums continued to rise amid ongoing restrictions on production in China's steelmaking hub of Tangshan.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $65.49 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.15 per tonneMetal Bulletin 58% Fe Premium Index: $53.06 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.51 per tonneMetal Bulletin 65% Fe Iron Ore Index: $89.60 per tonne cfr Qingdao...Read More
Restrictions on sintering and pellet output to reduce pollution in China, along with high mill margins, have led to iron ore pellet premiums rising as mills favour the least-polluting material tomaintain output and meet emissions targets.PelletsMetal Bulletin's 65% Fe Blast Furnace Pellet Index was at $114.48 per tonne for the week ending Friday June 22, up $2.44 per tonne - or 2.2% - from $112.04...Read More
Steel billet prices were unchanged in most global markets during the week ended Friday June 22 due to quiet trading activity, with the post-Eid al-Fitr holiday buying flurry unsustained. Commonwealth of Independent StatesSentiment in the CIS steel billet export market cooled over the past week because buying activity failed to bounce back as expected after the Ramadan and Eid al-Fit...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices moved down further on Monday June 25 following a weakening of the billet and futures markets. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,030-4,070 yuan ($619-626) per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonne Northern China (Beijing): 3,870-3,920 yuan per tonne, down 10 yuan per tonne Billet prices dropped sharply over the weekend due to soft demand. Rebar futures also continued last F...Read More
The Chinese domestic ferro-silicon market has dropped further, in line with demand and increased production in northern China, while export prices have held despite weaker demand; meanwhile, the European market has been steady, and market sentiment suggests higher spot prices in the near term. Weaker fundamentals, higher supply in northern China drag down domestic prices Europe third-quarter...Read More
The ascent in ammonium paratungstate (APT) prices paused last week after a few consecutive weeks of increases. Chinese, European APT prices stabilize Low availability continues to support APT prices but fewer inquiries seen European ferro-tungsten edges down amid weak demand Chinese ammonium paratungstate (APT) export market slowed down last week amid fewer inquiries from overseas and...Read More
Miners successfully raised offer prices for manganese ore amid price increases across the supply chain in the week to Friday June 22. Manganese ore prices rise on miners' higher offersAlloy prices jump on tight supplyAlloy prices hold in India, Europe Manganese ore prices rose again on Friday June 22 after high producer offers were snapped up in China amid busy trading. Metal Bulletin's 37%...Read More
The European Commission (EC) needs to wait before making a decision in the safeguard case until trade flow changes become clear because, currently, there is no threat to the EU steel market from imports, Tommaso Sandrini, president of Italian steel distributors' association Assofermet told Metal Bulletin.The EC opened an investigation in late March, in an attempt to prevent steel shipments being r...Read More
Restrictions on sintering and pellet output to reduce pollution in China, along with high mill margins, have led to iron ore pellet premiums rising as mills favour the least-polluting material tomaintain output and meet emissions targets.PelletsMetal Bulletin's 65% Fe Blast Furnace Pellet Index was at $114.48 per tonne for the week ending Friday June 22, up $2.44 per tonne - or 2.2% - from $112.04...Read More
The Chinese domestic ferro-silicon market has dropped further, in line with demand and increased production in northern China, while export prices have held despite weaker demand; meanwhile, the European market has been steady, and market sentiment suggests higher spot prices in the near term. Weaker fundamentals, higher supply in northern China drag down domestic prices Europe third-quarter...Read More
The European Commission (EC) needs to wait before making a decision in the safeguard case until trade flow changes become clear because, currently, there is no threat to the EU steel market from imports, Tommaso Sandrini, president of Italian steel distributors' association Assofermet told Metal Bulletin.The EC opened an investigation in late March, in an attempt to prevent steel shipments being r...Read More
Unionized workers at Codelco's Chuquicamata, the world's largest open pit copper mine, have threatened strikes in protest against plans to develop underground mining there and ensuing layoffs.Chuquicamata general manager Mauricio Barazza informed workers last April that 1,700 people, 36% of the mine's workforce, would be asked to leave the company during the mine's transition to an underground pro...Read More