SMM offices will be closed from Thursday April 5 to Friday April 6 for the Qingming Festival holiday. There will be no news publication during this period. For queries, please contact Daisy Tseng at daisy@smm.cn Read More
U.S. equity index futures were substantially lower this morning. S&P futures were down 41 points in pre-opening trade. Index futures are responding to news that China plans to impose tariffs on U.S. imported manufactured and agriculture goods valued at $50 billion. Boeing dropped $16.87 to $313.95 and technology stocks were notably lower. Gold gained $13.20 per ounce.Index futures were virtual...Read More
Prices for hollow steel sections in Southern Europe have fallen by ?,?5-15 per tonne this week with producers continuing to look for orders, market sources said on Wednesday April 4.A low volume of completed sales of hollow sections on the spot market has led Southern European producer sources to lower their price expectations in recent weeks."Producers in Italy are more keen to get orders than th...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals traded weakly on Wednesday April 4 as zinc led losses with a drop over 1.1%. Lead lost almost 0.7%, aluminium fell nearly 0.3%, and nickel, copper, and tin edged down.The ferrous complex saw wider drops than nonferrous metals as iron ore slumped some 4.2%. Rebar dipped over 1.1%, and hot-rolled coil slid nearly 1%. Coke and coking coal inched up over...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals traded weakly on Wednesday April 4 as zinc led losses with a drop over 1.1%. Lead lost almost 0.7%, aluminium fell nearly 0.3%, and nickel, copper, and tin edged down.The ferrous complex saw wider drops than nonferrous metals as iron ore slumped some 4.2%. Rebar dipped over 1.1%, and hot-rolled coil slid nearly 1%. Coke and coking coal inched up over...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals traded weakly on Wednesday April 4 as zinc led losses with a drop over 1.1%. Lead lost almost 0.7%, aluminium fell nearly 0.3%, and nickel, copper, and tin edged down.The ferrous complex saw wider drops than nonferrous metals as iron ore slumped some 4.2%. Rebar dipped over 1.1%, and hot-rolled coil slid nearly 1%. Coke and coking coal inched up over...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – Transactions cooled in the spot market for copper in Shanghai on Wednesday April 4 as premiums were offered at 30-70 yuan/mt against the SHFE 1804 contract. This compared with a premium of 30-100 yuan/mt on Tuesday April 3.Cargo holders made lower offers to cash in on the last trading day ahead of the Qingming Festival holiday, while traders bought on lower...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are down by an average of 0.4% this morning, Wednesday April 4. Tin is the only metal showing any gains, while the rest are down between 0.4% and 0.7%, with copper off by 0.4% at $6,783 per tonne. Volume has been average with 7,996 lots traded as of 07.36am London time. This follows a general day of gains on Tuesday when the complex closed with avera...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macroeconomic news last night and what is expected today.Last nightThe US dollar inched up and stood firmly above 90 as US stocks rebounded and as the euro edged down.SHFE metals fell across the board, except for copper and nickel, with zinc down close to 1%. Most LME metals gained, with nickel up close to 1%. LME copper touc...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – Sellers in the zinc spot market in Shanghai held back as the SHFE 1805 contract rebounded after touching a low of 24,600 yuan/mt on the morning of Wednesday April 4, SMM learned. The 0# zinc traded at 24,650-24,760 yuan/mt.The 0# common brand traded flat to a premium of 10 yuan/mt against the SHFE 1805 contract, compared with a discount of 10-0 yuan/mt the previous da...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macroeconomic news last night and what is expected today.Last nightThe US dollar inched up and stood firmly above 90 as US stocks rebounded and as the euro edged down.SHFE metals fell across the board, except for copper and nickel, with zinc down close to 1%. Most LME metals gained, with nickel up close to 1%. LME copper touc...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) –Copper: The US dollar index climbed up and depressed copper prices following a release by the US of $50 billion of imports from China that could be subject to sweeping tariffs. LME copper moved around the daily moving averages and hit the 20-day moving average, while its SHFE counterpart performed similarly with a narrower trading range. SMM remains bullish...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) - The operating rates of Chinese zinc smelters are likely to dip further in April, following a 2.14-percentage-point month-on-month drop in March, an SMM survey showed.This is because more smelters are expected to carry out maintenance this month although some will resume normal operations.The operating rate in March stood at 72.31%, according to the SMM survey. Zin...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) –Copper: The US dollar index climbed up and depressed copper prices following a release by the US of $50 billion of imports from China that could be subject to sweeping tariffs. LME copper moved around the daily moving averages and hit the 20-day moving average, while its SHFE counterpart performed similarly with a narrower trading range. SMM remains bullish...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) – This is a roundup of global macroeconomic news last night and what is expected today.Last nightThe US dollar inched up and stood firmly above 90 as US stocks rebounded and as the euro edged down.SHFE metals fell across the board, except for copper and nickel, with zinc down close to 1%. Most LME metals gained, with nickel up close to 1%. LME copper touc...Read More
SHANGHAI, Apr 4 (SMM) –Copper: The US dollar index climbed up and depressed copper prices following a release by the US of $50 billion of imports from China that could be subject to sweeping tariffs. LME copper moved around the daily moving averages and hit the 20-day moving average, while its SHFE counterpart performed similarly with a narrower trading range. SMM remains bullish...Read More
China will cut value-added tax (VAT) on all imported goods by 1 percentage point, 5.9%, effective from May 1, the Finance Ministry and State Administration of Taxation said in a filing late on Wednesday April 4. China currently applies two VAT rates for different products; 17% for almost all products and 11% for some products, including agriculture. The rates will be...Read More
Metal Bulletin looks at seven key things discussed in Xi'an last month at China Iron & Steel Association's 16th International Steel Market and Trade Conference that will have a major impact on the Asian and Chinese steel markets in the coming years.China plans to cut another 30 million tonnes of steel capacity in 2018China is planning to cut another 30 million tonnes of steel capacity in 2018 as p...Read More
Copper price premiums in Shanghai rose to a 17-month high with market participants hoping for declining import costs following a cut in value-added tax (VAT), market sources told Metal Bulletin on Wednesday April 4.On Wednesday, the premium for copper cathodes on a cif basis rose by $3 to $78 per tonne, the highest level since October 31, 2016, according to Metal Bulletin assessments.The adjustmen...Read More
Prices for rebar produced and delivered in Southern Europe widened downward by ?,?5 per tonne this week amid continued low demand, sources told Metal Bulletin on Wednesday April 4.Metal Bulletin's weekly domestic price assessment for rebar in Southern Europe widened downward to ?,?510-530 ($627-651) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, compared with ?,?515-530 per tonne delivered one week ago.The ass...Read More