Some flat steel prices in Turkey's domestic market fell slightly this week, while import prices were mostly stable, market participants told Metal Bulletin on Friday February 2.Local producers are accepting orders for April, but demand was not strong this week because buyers expected prices to come down. Besides, retail prices are still lower than producer prices, sources said.Domestic pricesHot-r...Read More
Indian local secondary billet prices this week showed a slight fall of about 200 rupees per tonne week-on-week, with buyers staying away from the market and the number of inquiries to mills dwindling.Prices for Indian domestic secondary billet, which is mainly produced through the induction furnace route, ended the week at 31,800-32,000 rupees ($497-501) per tonne ex-mill on Friday February 2. Thi...Read More
The following Metal Bulletin noble alloys, bulk alloys and ores prices changed on Friday February 2:Noble alloys Molybdenum Europe drummed molybdic oxide, $/lb: $11.60-12.00 per lb from $11.80-12.00 Molybdenum US canned molybdic oxide, $/Ib $11.90-12.20 per Ib from $12.15-12.30 Ferro-molybdenum basis 65% min, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/kg Mo: $29.70-30.00 per kg from $29.50-30.00 Ferro-molybdenum U...Read More
Metal Bulletin has today discontinued five grades of zircon.After a consultation period, Metal Bulletin has today suspended the following five grades of zircon, effective February 2, 2018: Zircon, ceramic grade, bulk, CIF South Africa, $/tonneZircon, Ceramic grade, Bulk, FOB South Africa, $/tonneZircon, premium grade, bulk, FOB USA, $/tonneZircon, standard grade, bulk, FOB USA, $/tonneZircon stand...Read More
Glencore continues to expect a slight increase in its ferro-chrome output this year after a small rise last year, it said in its full-year production report on Thursday February 1.The company kept its production guidance for 2018 unchanged at 1,600,000 tonnes plus or minus 30,000 tonnes, it said. Its ferro-chrome production for 2017 at 1,531,000 tonnes was up 1% on the previous year's 1,523,000 to...Read More
Finnish metal processing technology provider Outotec is to provide two iron ore pelletizing plants, each with capacity for 4 million tonnes per year, to China's Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel, it said on Friday February 2.The two pelletizing plants are expected to be commissioned in 2019, and will...Read More
Earnings at Chilean steel and iron ore producer Compa???-a de Acero del Pac?-fico (CAP) increased by 30.10% in 2017, compared with the previous year, mainly due to better results from its iron ore business.Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) came to $575.96 million last year, compared with $442.64 million in 2016, the company said in a note to the Chilean securi...Read More
India's imported scrap markets have been supported by healthy demand for finished steel in the country this week, which prevented there being steeper losses in the scrap price, sources have told Metal Bulletin.Prices for ferrous scrap in the important Turkish market have decreased by $9.70 per tonne week-on-week, but Indian import markets managed to limit their losses to less than $5 per tonne.Met...Read More
Demand growth in the coking coal market should be firm throughout 2018 after last year's market volatility due to Cyclone Debbie and shipment delays, SP Angel analyst John Meyer told Metal Bulletin in an interview. Meyer took first place with fellow analyst Sergey Raevskiy in the coking coal leader board for the Apex 2017 competition. He notes that 2017 saw record iron production in China, 2.9% hi...Read More
The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Friday February 2.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were on divergent paths this morning, with nickel failing to hold on to recent gains and the three-month price retreating nearly $200 per tonne. Here's how base metals on the LME looked at 11:56am London time: Read our live futures report here.&nbs...Read More
China's domestic rebar prices remained in an upward trend on Friday February 2 amid gains in the billet and futures markets, though trading activity remained thin.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,840-3,900 yuan ($610-619) per tonne, up 10 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 3,920-3,950 yuan per tonne, narrowed upward by 20 yuan per tonneThe gains in the billet and paper markets pushed up s...Read More
Trading activity in the seaborne coking coal market remained thin on Friday February 2, with concerns about the weather in Australia and higher domestic coking coal prices in China keeping buyers on tenterhooks. "Domestic supply is tight in China with the transportation of thermal coal being given priority," a trader source said. He added that the situation had raised concerns among mills about th...Read More
Nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange have once again failed to hold on to recent gains, with the three-month price retreating nearly $200 per tonne during morning trading on Friday February 2.On Thursday, the three-month nickel on the LME ended ring trading at $14,000 per tonne for the first time since May 2015. But nickel's price volatility has been highlighted once again after it hit a low...Read More
Iron ore prices gained some ground on Friday February 2 amid an uptick in China's steel and ferrous futures markets. Key drivers China's ferrous futures surged on Thursday night and stayed in positive territory throughout Friday. The country's spot rebar and hot-rolled coil prices also increased 10-20 yuan ($1.60-3.20) per tonne during the day. These gains gave a boost to sentiment among iron ore...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
The following Metal Bulletin minor metals prices changed on Friday February 2:Antimony MB free market regulus, $/tonne: $8,300-8,500 per tonne from $8,250-8,500 Antimony MMTA standard grade II, $/tonne: $8,300-8,500 per tonne from $8,250-8,500 Bismuth MB China domestic, yuan/tonne: 71,000-72,000 yuan per tonne from 70,500-71,000 yuan Chromium MB...Read More
An overview of China's minor metals markets in the week of January 29-February 2 and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
Metal Bulletin has launched a weekly Manganese Ore Index 37% Mn, cif Tianjin China $ per dmtu of metal contained. Launched after a consultation period, the new index will complement the two existing manganese ore prices, the 37%Mn fob Port Elizabeth South Africa Manganese ore index and the Manganese Ore Index 44% Mn, cif Tianjin $ per dmtu of metal contained. Strong demand from China's d...Read More
Metal Bulletin has updated its manganese ore indices base specifications to align with market standards. For the manganese ore 37% Mn fob Port Elizabeth index, the alumina base content changes to 0.2% from 1% and the maximum to 2% from 8%. In addition, the silica base content changes to 5.5% from 6%, the phosphorous base content will change to 0.025% from 0.04%, and the maximum iron content w...Read More
There was no clear trend in China's ferrous futures market during morning trading on Friday February 2 after the Hebei provincial government denied that it was planning to extend production cuts for an additional two months.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,947 yuan ($627) per tonne, down 7 yuan per tonne May hot rolled coil: 4,017 yuan per tonne, up 1...Read More