Despite excellent silver prices, silver-stock investing is a lot harder than it used to be. The major silver miners are pouring most of their growth capital into...by Adam Hamilton of Zeal LLCThe silver miners' stocks have mostly been consolidating high since last summer. While they've enjoyed some sharp rallies, those have been within that sideways-grind trend. That lack of overall upside pro...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Recent weeks have brought two key developments with regard to trade policy on stainless steel products that will be to the detriment of consumers.In China, the country's stainless steelmakers no longer enjoy a 13% export rebate as of May 1, reducing greatly their incentive to export and instead leading them to focus on supply...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Stainless steel prices and margins for stainless steel producers have risen notably over the past few months in both Europe and the United States, but there are now signs that the rally is petering out.A clear reason for the halt to rising prices comes from the near 20% drop in nickel prices seen in late February/early March,...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.With nickel prices down by almost 20% over the space of around ten days during late February and early March, one might have been expecting us to be reporting sharply-lower prices of stainless steel, at least for the most common nickel-containing grades of stainless steel.This is not the case, at least in Europe and the Unite...Read More

The latest data for the global manganese ore market for the week ended May 31, 2021.Read More

Seaborne iron ore concentrate and pellet prices plunged further in the week ended Friday May 28 amid downward pressure from the bigger fines segment of the market.Fastmarkets iron ore indicesPellet premium over 65% Fe fines, cfr China: $61.00 per tonne, down $0.10 per tonne66% Fe concentrate, cfr Qingdao: $213.91 per tonne, down $30.21 per tonne65% Fe blast furnace pellet, cfr Qingdao: $279.82 per...Read More

China's nickel pig iron (NPI) prices widened downward last week amid a sliding stainless steel market, while the cif China discount for ferro-nickel decreased in the past month.Fastmarkets assessed the nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China at 1,125-1,150 yuan ($177-181) per nickel unit on Friday May 28, widening downward by 10 yuan (0.4%) per nickel unit from 1,135-1,150...Read More

RAPAPORT... Industry veteran Thomas Gelb has joined the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF) as a member of its board of advisers.Gelb previously worked at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) before leaving in 2008 to run Harry Winston's grading department, FCRF said Monday. For the past 12 years, Gelb has been an independent consultant, working with various companies, gem labs and trade...Read More

RAPAPORT... Revenue at Mumbai-based diamond and jewelry manufacturer Asian Star fell in the past fiscal year as Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions hindered sales.Group revenue - including at subsidiaries - slid 16% to INR 25.62 billion ($353.1 million) for the year ending March 31, the company said earlier this month. Diamond sales plunged 66% to INR 21.44 billion ($295.5 million), while revenue...Read More

RAPAPORT... A new trade fair focusing on gemstones, jewelry, minerals and fossils will make its inaugural appearance in Colorado later this year.The HardRock Summit, which will feature over 400 exhibitors, educational seminars and keynote speakers, will run in Denver from September 16 to 21 at the Colorado Convention Center, its founders said last week. The event was created by Christoph Keilmann,...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices rose on Monday May 31 amid support from increasing billet prices in China over the weekend and a potential easing of restrictions on steelmaking in Tangshan. Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $198.83 per tonne, up $8.32 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $201.26 per tonne, up $8.59 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $17...Read More

RAPAPORT... Jeweler Mehul Choksi will likely be repatriated to India following his capture in Dominica, an island nation in the Caribbean, Reuters reported.Choksi's arrest comes two years after his nephew, Nirav Modi, was apprehended by the Metropolitan Police in the UK on behalf of the Indian authorities.The two fugitives, along with others, are alleged to have defrauded India's Punjab Natio...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Diamonds seized from illegal miners in Lesotho are to be sold to licensed dealers by the country's mining ministry.Small-scale diamond mining was outlawed in 2004 because of safety concerns and a lack of regulation, although there are reports that the government is now about to permit the resumption of limited artisanal operations.Bids are being invited during a two-day tender...Read More

(IDEX Online) - De Beers has partnered with Disney for the first time, providing high jewelry for the new movie Cruella.British actress Emma Thompson (pictured) wears pieces from the Arpeggia collection as she plays the fashion designer Baroness Von Hellman in a new take on the classic 101 Dalmatians, set in 1970s London.They include a five-line necklace and three-line earrings in white gold and t...Read More

(IDEX Online) - A London jeweler has launched a tiara-for-hire service, as brides take their inspiration from TV period dramas.Hancocks, founded in 1849 and located in Mayfair, is making its collection of vintage and antique treasures available for the big day.It charges one per cent of their value for a 24-hour loan, which works out at a little over $1,300 for one of the highlights of its collect...Read More

Hot-rolled coil prices in China's domestic market cruised higher on Monday May 31, with the futures market extending its rally.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,500-5,600 yuan ($864-880) per tonne, up by 100 yuan per tonne.The most-traded HRC October contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange hit a high of 5,535 yuan per tonne on Monday morning, extending its rally from late last week.While spot...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices rose sharply on Monday May 31 following strong gains in the billet market over the weekend, but demand decreased in response to the increases.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,000-5,030 yuan ($785-790) per tonne, up by 170 yuan per tonne A $6-trillion budget for the United States' fiscal year 2022 unveiled by President Joe Biden last Friday led to bullish sentiment...Read More

Import prices for rebar in Singapore continued to fall in the week to Monday May 31 amid sustained bearishness in the Asian market, sources said.Buyers continued to abstain from purchases, and instead watching out for when offers stop falling in the region before they commit to any cargoes, a buyer source in Singapore told Fastmarkets.Most major buyers also have a lot of inventory, which makes it...Read More

Great Panther Mining is a precious metals miner in the AmericasSPONSOREDgreat pantherThe above intercept, from 12.19m, also included 19.8m at 2.44g/t gold.A second hole intersected 59.1m at 1.03g/t from 3.04m, including 15.2m grading 2.94g/t.Great Panther Mining is a precious metals miner in the AmericasSPONSOREDgreat pantherCEO J. Paul Stevenson said the results were exciting and showed "excellen...Read More

Huntsman Set to Expand Nickel Sulphide Discovery at CanegrassSPONSOREDhuntsman explorationThe DRC has reintroduced its ban on copper and cobalt concentrate exports, which expired on April 12, and Ivanhoe said it was aware of the order issued to customs officials by a provincial director in Katanga.However the company said it was also aware of a subsequent letter confirming companies with an exempt...Read More