The sluggish hollow steel sections markets in Northern Europe must achieve higher prices or else tube producers will see their margins be eroded by stronger costs for hot-rolled coil (HRC), market sources have warned.A fresh increase of ?,?10-20 per tonne in the price of Northern Europe-origin hot-rolled coil (HRC) on Wednesday February 7 leaves tube mills with thin margins when transforming the m...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Wednesday February 7. Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are mostly recovering during morning trading following Tuesday's sell-off.. Here is how the LME base metals complex looked at 12.12pm London time: For a snapshot of exchange news, check out our live futures report. Trading houses Transamine and Merc...Read More
Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Shanghai as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Wednesday February 7.Most base metals traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were in positive territory during Asian morning trading on Wednesday, with only lead prices weakening. Nickel led the gains with a 1.6% rise amid a healthy demand picture and a recovery in the US stock markets, w...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 7 (SMM) – All nonferrous metals futures, except tin, closed lower on Wednesday February 7. SHFE tin edged up 0.79%. SHFE lead led the loss with a 1.5% drop while zinc and copper were down 1%.Coke led the gains in the ferrous complex by jumping 2%, while iron ore was up almost 1%. Both rebar and hot-rolled coil edged down.Copper: SHFE copper continued to see downward correc...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 7 (SMM) – All nonferrous metals futures, except tin, closed lower on Wednesday February 7. SHFE tin edged up 0.79%. SHFE lead led the loss with a 1.5% drop while zinc and copper were down 1%.Coke led the gains in the ferrous complex by jumping 2%, while iron ore was up almost 1%. Both rebar and hot-rolled coil edged down.Copper: SHFE copper continued to see downward correc...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 7 (SMM) – All nonferrous metals futures, except tin, closed lower on Wednesday February 7. SHFE tin edged up 0.79%. SHFE lead led the loss with a 1.5% drop while zinc and copper were down 1%.Coke led the gains in the ferrous complex by jumping 2%, while iron ore was up almost 1%. Both rebar and hot-rolled coil edged down.Copper: SHFE copper continued to see downward correc...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 7 (SMM) –Copper: The global stock market rout may have limited impact on commodities and we expect SHFE copper to gather enough momentum to go up in short term. We see the 1804 contract to trade at 52,700-53,300 yuan/mt today while LME copper is expected at $7,050-7,110/mt. Spot prices continued to be affected by the spread between the 1802 and 1803 contracts and spot copper is...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 7 (SMM) –Copper: The global stock market rout may have limited impact on commodities and we expect SHFE copper to gather enough momentum to go up in short term. We see the 1804 contract to trade at 52,700-53,300 yuan/mt today while LME copper is expected at $7,050-7,110/mt. Spot prices continued to be affected by the spread between the 1802 and 1803 contracts and spot copper is...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 7 (SMM) –Copper: The global stock market rout may have limited impact on commodities and we expect SHFE copper to gather enough momentum to go up in short term. We see the 1804 contract to trade at 52,700-53,300 yuan/mt today while LME copper is expected at $7,050-7,110/mt. Spot prices continued to be affected by the spread between the 1802 and 1803 contracts and spot copper is...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange plunged at the 5pm ring close on Wednesday February 7 amid a strong recovery in the dollar leading to copper prices plummeting 2.4%. The three-month copper price declined $196 to close below $7,000 per tonne, hitting a new 2018 low and the lowest since December 19, 2017. "The open of the Chinese night session and Comex saw renewed pressure across the...Read More
Rising profitability among Chinese mills is fueling demand for high-grade iron ore, which gave prices a boost on Wednesday February 7. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index Today: $77.20 per tonne cfr Qingdao Daily change: Up by $1.28 per tonne Month-to-date average: $75.22 per tonne Metal Bulletin's 58% Fe Premium Index Today: $61.84 per...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices continued to strengthen on Wednesday February 7 with a few high-grade brands changing hands at higher levels, while some uncertainties have emerged over exports out of India.Key driversChinese steelmakers are again seeking high-grade iron ore such as Newman and Carajas fines amid a widening of their profit margins and expectations of a possible extension of winter restrict...Read More
Copper premiums in the United States and China were broadly unchanged over the past week, while those in northern Europe softened amid lower offer prices from sellers. Lower offer prices sink northern European premiumsUS copper premium steady, potential near-term rise eyedShanghai premiums broadly flat ahead of Lunar New Year holidays Copper premiums eased lower in northern Europe this past...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange plunged at the 5pm ring close on Wednesday February 7 amid a strong recovery in the dollar leading to copper prices plummeting 2.4%. The three-month copper price declined $196 to close below $7,000 per tonne, hitting a new 2018 low and the lowest since December 19, 2017. "The open of the Chinese night session and Comex saw renewed pressure across the...Read More
Miners all too often lack a clear purpose and fail to approach investments with the appropriate due diligence, a method that drives shareholder returns lower, according to the chairman of Norilsk Nickel.Average total shareholder returns of the major miners are down 32% over the last five years, Gareth Penny said, noting that there is more to the situation than just a cyclical market. "As a mining...Read More
Brazil's alumina export volumes inched up in January from a year earlier, with higher volumes to North America and Qatar offsetting the lack of shipments to South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.Exports came to 861,336 tonnes last month, from 839,283 tonnes in January 2017, Brazilian foreign trade ministry MDIC said on Wednesday February 7. In December, Brazil had exported 781,366 tonnes...Read More
Brazil's primary aluminium exports increased by 43.89% year on year in January, boosted by shipments to Mexico, according to figures released by national foreign trade ministry MDIC on Wednesday February 7.Exports totaled 23,307 tonnes last month, up from 16,198 tonnes a year earlier, MDIC said. In December, Brazil had exported 19,489 tonnes of unwrought aluminium.Only two primary aluminium p...Read More
A rise in demand from the mining sector has led to a year-on-year improvement in the earnings of Swedish engineering group Sandvik, the company said this week.Increased customer activity was primarily related to mining in the commodities of gold, silver, copper and zinc, while signs of improvement were noted in coal, Sandvik said, with the largest rise in order intake being in Australia.Revenues a...Read More
The merger between ArcelorMittal Brasil and local long steel producer Votorantim Siderurgia is expected to be concluded by April, ArcelorMittal Long Carbon Central & South Americas chief executive officer Jefferson de Paula told Metal Bulletin on Wednesday February 7.The deal will make the combined venture the sector leader in Brazil and will enable it to expand its product portfolio, he added."Th...Read More
Brazilian long steel import volumes increased by 73.10% in January on an annual basis.Imports of non-alloy long steel goods came to 20,886 tonnes, compared with 12,066 tonnes in the first month of 2017, according to figures released by Brazil's foreign...Read More