Deliverable zinc stocks at Shanghai Futures Exchange-approved warehouses increased 13,216 tonnes or 16.2% week on week to 94,769 tonnes as of Friday February 2. Metal Bulletin last assessed Shanghai-bonded zinc stocks at around 203,000-205,000 tonnes at the end of January, up 29.5% from 155,000-160,000 tonnes on January 3 and 92.5% compared to January 2017. Stock levels have predominantly be...Read More
Finnish metal processing technology provider Outotec forecasts growth in demand for many metals, with sentiment in both the mining and metals industries expected to improve in 2018."In 2018, our target is to grow our sales as well as improve profitability. Together with improved market sentiment, global [trends] - such as resource efficiency, sustainability and digitization - provide us with good...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
Production of nickel intermediates will need to ramp up in order to meet forecast demand from the electric-vehicle (EV) sector, according to Anne Oxley, technical director of Brazilian Nickel. The nickel industry and supply chain is not structured to cater to the specific needs of EV battery manufacturers, delegates heard at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference in Mainz, Germany, this week....Read More
Finnish metal processing technology provider Outotec forecasts growth in demand for many metals, with sentiment in both the mining and metals industries expected to improve in 2018."In 2018, our target is to grow our sales as well as improve profitability. Together with improved market sentiment, global [trends] - such as resource efficiency, sustainability and digitization - provide us with good...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
Metal Bulletin reviews the major stories that have affected the steel market over the past week.Raw materialsIron ore prices ended Friday on the rise after experiencing declines early in the week. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index came to $74.39 per tonne cfr Qingdao, amid gains in the futures and steel markets.Trading activity in the seaborne coking coal market remained thin on Friday, with...Read More
The market in the United Kingdom for grade-5C ferrous scrap has dropped this week, marking another weekly fall since the price was assessed on January 12, with suppliers cutting their offer prices in line with export demand.The move in the light iron scrap market in the UK follows a fall in trade to key destinations such as Turkey and the Indian subcontinent.The rate of steel scrap exports to Turk...Read More
Steel scrap prices in the major global markets weakened following the decrease in Turkish import prices during the working week from Monday January 29 to Friday February 2.Turkish steel mills have slowed down their deep-sea bookings over the past week to put downward pressure on prices, and booked only one deep-sea cargo before Thursday, when they booked three more cargoes at lower prices late in...Read More
Finnish metal processing technology provider Outotec forecasts growth in demand for many metals, with sentiment in both the mining and metals industries expected to improve in 2018."In 2018, our target is to grow our sales as well as improve profitability. Together with improved market sentiment, global [trends] - such as resource efficiency, sustainability and digitization - provide us with good...Read More
Comex copper prices softened to a one-week low amid a rising dollar, which was sparked by a strong US jobs report.Copper for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 3.40 cents or 1.1% to $3.1640 per lb. "We continue to like copper as global concerted growth is likely to support the red metal enough to maintain its bullish uptrend," Metal Bulletin analys...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are at first sight looking quite mixed this morning, Friday February 2, with copper and lead in positive territory, tin unchanged and aluminium, zinc and nickel in negative territory.But on closer inspection of the charts, all look well placed to push higher following average gains of 1.1% on Thursday. Indeed copper, that has been one of the laggards...Read More
Metal Bulletin reviews the major stories that have affected the steel market over the past week.Raw materialsIron ore prices ended Friday on the rise after experiencing declines early in the week. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index came to $74.39 per tonne cfr Qingdao, amid gains in the futures and steel markets.Trading activity in the seaborne coking coal market remained thin on Friday, with...Read More
Some coated flat steel prices in Turkey have decreased over the past week, with demand remaining sluggish in the local market but strong in the export markets, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday February 2.Demand was weak because buyers expect prices to fall, and the weak demand in the hot-rolled coil (HRC) market has had a knock-on effect in the coated coil market.Domestic pricesIn Northern Tu...Read More
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
Metal Bulletin reviews the major stories that have affected the steel market over the past week.Raw materialsIron ore prices ended Friday on the rise after experiencing declines early in the week. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index came to $74.39 per tonne cfr Qingdao, amid gains in the futures and steel markets.Trading activity in the seaborne coking coal market remained thin on Friday, with...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
Transaction prices for domestic rebar in Poland have been largely unchanged over the past week because buyers have not accepted higher offers, sources told Metal Bulletin on Friday February 2.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for domestic 12mm B500B-grade rebar in Poland was 2,320-2,370 zloty ($695-710) per tonne ex-works on February 2, compared with 2,310-2,360 zloty per tonne ex-works a w...Read More
Metal Bulletin reviews the major stories that have affected the steel market over the past week.Raw materialsIron ore prices ended Friday on the rise after experiencing declines early in the week. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index came to $74.39 per tonne cfr Qingdao, amid gains in the futures and steel markets.Trading activity in the seaborne coking coal market remained thin on Friday, with...Read More