Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) dropped marginally in the first half of February after traders purchased nearby tonnages from mines at increasingly competitive levels and smelters eased off buying ahead of New Year holidays in Asia. The Metal Bulletin copper concentrates index dropped by 3% to $69.50 per tonne/6.95 cents per lb from $71.60/7.16 cents at the end of J...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher at the close on Thursday February 15, with only aluminium prices falling. The three-month copper price briefly breached the $2,200 per tonne mark before retreating - but closed $19 per tonne higher. It has closed in positive territory every day this week. "We think that both LME and Comex speculators have got too bearish in their p...Read More
Comex copper prices failed to maintain momentum in morning trading on Thursday February 15 after hitting a multi-week high earlier in the week, with the complex now in consolidation mode. Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 1.55 cents or 0.5% to $3.2205 per lb. The contract had been on a three-day rally. "The base metals complex enjoyed a st...Read More
South32 recorded a 87% year-on-year increase in earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) for the half year to December 31, 2017 at its South Africa Manganese division. The division generated $86 million from revenues of $228 million compared with $175 million for the same period the year before. The miner's Australia Manganese division recorded Ebit of $299 million, up 44% year on year, while reven...Read More
The South African rand approached a three-year high against the US dollar on Thursday February 15 following the resignation of President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, after nine years in charge.The rand was trading at 11.67 to the dollar at 13.55 London time on Thursday, after closing at 11.82 on Wednesday. Cyril Ramaphosa, the multi-millionaire businessman and former lawyer and activist, has been swor...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) dropped marginally in the first half of February after traders purchased nearby tonnages from mines at increasingly competitive levels and smelters eased off buying ahead of New Year holidays in Asia. The Metal Bulletin copper concentrates index dropped by 3% to $69.50 per tonne/6.95 cents per lb from $71.60/7.16 cents at the end of J...Read More
Manganese flake prices climbed to a fresh multi-month high this week on a continued supply squeeze with the Lunar New Year holiday expected to disrupt supply further. Metal Bulletin assessed the manganese flake in-warehouse Rotterdam price at $2,075-2,220 per tonne on Wednesday February 14, up 1.8% from the previous assessment. The last time manganese flake prices climbed to that level was in...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued their deep-sea scrap purchases for March, market participants said on Thursday February 15.Steel mills in the country booked three deep-sea cargoes from various locations at comparatively higher prices, sources told Metal Bulletin.On Thursday, a steel mill in the Izmir region booked a US cargo, comprising 30,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $353 per tonn...Read More
Aluminium scrap prices in the United Kingdom fell this week, following the aluminium price's February decline on the London Metal Exchange.Group 1 pure 99% litho on a delivered consumer works basis fell to ?1,400-1,450 ($1,949-2,018) per tonne on Wednesday February 14, from ?1,420-1,470 per tonne a week earlier.This marks the first decline for the grade since late November 2017, and touched...Read More
Comex copper prices failed to maintain momentum in morning trading on Thursday February 15 after hitting a multi-week high earlier in the week, with the complex now in consolidation mode. Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 1.55 cents or 0.5% to $3.2205 per lb. The contract had been on a three-day rally. "The base metals complex enjoyed a st...Read More
Metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are generally firmer this morning, Thursday February 15, with the complex up by an average of 0.5%. Nickel leads with a 1.9% gain to $14,240 per tonne and tin prices lag with a 0.1% decline, while the rest are showing gains of between $0.50 and $20 per tonne, with copper prices up by 0.3% at $7,183 per tonne.With the Lunar New Year break underway, volume...Read More
Activity in the Egyptian billet import market was almost non-existent in the week to Thursday February 15, with higher offer prices failing to impress buyers.Activity in the Egyptian billet import market was almost non-existent in the week to Thursday February 15, with higher offer prices failing to impress buyers.One reason, sources said, is that Egyptian customers have suffic...Read More
Turkish domestic rebar and wire rod prices kept rising in line with the increase in the scrap import values and strong demand, sources said on Thursday February 15.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for domestic rebar was $580-595 per tonne ex-works, up from the $570-575-per-tonne range last week.The domestic rebar price in the Izmir region was $590-595 per tonne ex-works, while the material...Read More
Turkish rebar and wire rod export prices have continued to go up this week, in line with the rising costs for steel scrap and billet, sources said on Thursday February 15.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for rebar exports out of Turkey on Thursday was $565-575 per tonne fob, up from the $550-560 per tonne of last week.Turkish steel mills were offering rebar...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued their deep-sea scrap purchases for March, market participants said on Thursday February 15.Steel mills in the country booked three deep-sea cargoes from various locations at comparatively higher prices, sources told Metal Bulletin.On Thursday, a steel mill in the Izmir region booked a US cargo, comprising 30,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $353 per tonn...Read More
The market for CIS-origin pig iron has weakened over the past week on lower booking prices in Italy, Metal Bulletin has heard.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for imported high-manganese pig iron in Italy dropped $5 from last week to $365-370 per tonne cfr on February 15. A Ukrainian producer has sold two cargoes, to a trader and a steel producer, at $365-370 per tonne cfr Italy, Meta...Read More
Metal Bulletin's Iron Ore Index was largely unchanged at just above $78 per tonne on Thursday February 15 as the week-long Chinese New Year holiday officially begins.Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index Today: $78.43 per tonne cfr QingdaoDaily change: up 2 centsMonth-to-date...Read More
Gerdau has entered into a deal with Kinross Brasil Minera????o to sell its two hydroelectric plants in Brazil's mid-western Goi??s state for 835 million Reais ($255 million), as a further step in its strategy to focus on profitable steel assets, it said late on Wednesday February 14. The Ca??u and Barra dos Coqueiros hydroelectric power units, which started operations in 2010, have total capacity...Read More
The number of new passenger car sales in the EU increased by 7.15% year on year in January 2018, following a slight decline in December last year.New car sales in Europe totalled 1,253,877 units in January 2018, compared with 1,170,256 vehicles sold in the...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) dropped marginally in the first half of February after traders purchased nearby tonnages from mines at increasingly competitive levels and smelters eased off buying ahead of New Year holidays in Asia. The Metal Bulletin copper concentrates index dropped by 3% to $69.50 per tonne/6.95 cents per lb from $71.60/7.16 cents at the end of J...Read More