(IDEX Online) - A team of jewelers have completed the world's most expensive fully-functioning face mask, set with 210 carats of black and white diamonds. Yvel, the luxury Israeli brand, was commissioned by an anonymous Los Angeles-based businessman and art collector, who was keen to help keep the production center open during difficult times. The COVID-19 mask is made of 250 grams of pure 18...Read More

RAPAPORT... De Beers' November sales cycle garnered $450 million as retail demand in the US and China supported manufacturers' appetite for rough, the company reported Wednesday.The monthly total, covering the period from November 2 to 16, was 13% higher than the equivalent cycle in 2019, but lower than the $467 million the miner grossed at its previous sale in September."Steady demand for De...Read More

(IDEX Online) - The Watches and Wonders Geneva trade show, due to take place next April, has been canceled because of COVID-19 concerns. The show - formerly known as SIHH - will take place as a digital-only events, say organizers, with Richemont's watch labels, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard, Chanel, Hermes and Kering's Ulysse Nardin, plus other brands.  It is scheduled for 7 t...Read More

Prices for hollow steel sections in Europe remained unchanged over the past week, despite the continuing feedstock shortage, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 18.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel sections (medium), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?640-660 ($759-783) per tonne on Wednesday, flat week on week.The price of the feedstock material, hot-rolled coil, has mov...Read More

(IDEX Online) - De Beers sold $450m of rough this month as demand remained "steady".Provisional sales figures for Sightholder sales and auctions during an extended Cycle 9 (2 to 16 November) were marginally down on the September/October (Cycle 8) total of $467m. But year-on-year the figure was up from $400m in 2019.De Beers said increasing COVID-19 infections continued to present risks, but it exp...Read More

Shanghai nickel premiums fell in the week to Tuesday November 17 while rates on briquette in the United States again succumbed to pressure from intense competition for business in the spot market.Chinese premiums fall as arbitrage losses worsenDeclining spot offers push US briquette premium lowerEuropean buyers see ample supply; ride out LME volatilityShanghai full-plate premiums fall, their first...Read More

US tin premiums rose in the week to Tuesday November 17, buoyed by a surge in LME prices, tight supply and resurgent spot demand. US premiums climb for first time since Sept 22 Price swings convince European market participants to adopt wait-and-see stanceChina market stagnant amid big discounts, scant import activityUS offers increaseTin premiums rose in the United States on reduced supply, a par...Read More

Alba chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali tells Fastmarkets special correspondent Andrea Hotter about his long and hard path to the top and outlines the company's strategy in the current challenging global climate for primary aluminium producers.Ali Al Baqali was fishing with his brother-in-law when he noticed a large silo structure in a terminal at a distance. He could make out a logo on the sid...Read More

Italian supercar maker Ferrari is the latest automotive producer to announce it is pushing toward a greater electrification of automobiles.Ferrari is one of the few supercar makers that has committed to producing hybrid supercars in a niche industry, which is usually dominated by roaring internal combustion engines, with its new SF90 Spider and current SF90 Stradale using a plug-in hybrid pow...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month zinc price rose 2% on Wednesday November 18 morning following the news of the Vedanta zinc mine collapse in Gamsberg, South Africa.The price for the galvanising metal went up to $2,744.50 per tonne at 9am on Wednesday, up from $2,689.50 per tonne on Tuesday's 5pm close. Zinc's three-month price reached a peak of $2,770 per tonne following news of the mine coll...Read More

Scoped for growth: Nevada Copper shifts into production modeSPONSOREDnevada copper corp.Under the new agreement Kaz will build part of a port at Cape Nagloynyn in Chaunskaya Bay and finance half of a 428km road leading from the port to the mine site.Read More

Vedanta has suspended production at its Gamsberg zinc mine in South Africa following a collapse of the open pit there.In the early hours of Tuesday November 17 a portion of the mine's south pit wall collapsed, trapping ten workers, eight of whom have been extricated with a search and rescue mission ongoing, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets on...Read More

Galvalume prices in the United States surged to a nearly two-year high this month as a result of spiking demand outstripping supply - and that trend is expected continue through the first quarter of 2021, market participants said."The trend is scary," a producer said. "There's a shortage of Galvalume - shortage is a scary word." Fastmarkets assessed the price for steel coil Galvalume, fob mill US...Read More

The price range for steel H-beams in Europe narrowed upward over the past week, with producers' ambitions for further increases supported by a rise in feedstock costs, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 18.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel beams, domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was ?,?550-570 ($653-676) per tonne on Wednesday, up from ?,?540-570 per tonne one week bef...Read More

Iran's export prices for steel billet and slab kept increasing over the week to Wednesday November 18, with several billet export deals heard, Fastmarkets learned.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel billet, export, fob ports Iran was $430-438 per tonne on Wednesday November 18, against $415-420 per tonne the week before.Several cargoes of billet were reported sold at around $425-430 per...Read More

Producers of steel mesh-quality wire rod in the north of Europe achieved higher prices in the week to Wednesday November 18, with their offer prices backed by long lead times and an uptrend in the international scrap trade, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, increased to ?,?490-500 ($581-593) pe...Read More

The metals were looking robust this morning, Wednesday November 18, and for the most part are managing to drive higher despite concerns about the rapid spread of Covid-19 and some mixed economic data of late.* Asian Pacific equities were mixed this morning, as were major western equity indices on Tuesday...* ...but major western equity indices are weaker this morning, suggesting some concern about...Read More

Steel wire rod producers in the south of Europe were looking for higher prices this week amid short supply and good order books, with buyers resisting new increases, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 18.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh-quality), domestic, delivered Southern Europe was ?,?480-490 ($569-581) per tonne on Wednesday, however, unchanged from th...Read More

Lowe's (LOW), an S&P 100 stock moved below $151.37 completing a modified Head & Shoulders pattern. Regeneron (REGN), a NASDAQ 100 stock moved below $533.23 extending an intermediate downtrend.Selected Canadian "gassy" stocks are breaking out. Freehold Royalties moved above $4.70 extending an intermediate uptrend. PrairieSky Royalties moved above $9.82.Pre-opening Comments for Wednesday Nov...Read More

Turkish steel mills have remained out of the market for a third consecutive day this week although offer prices have now moved higher than in previous deals, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday November 18.Turkish steel mills extended their silence in the deep sea scrap market for a third day, but offer prices were reported to have jumped in anticipation of the next purchases....Read More