London Metal Exchange prices were mostly unchanged on the first trading day of this month, but maintained the bullish tone they struck at the end of May at the close on Tuesday June 1, given a release of positive economic data."A short-lived pullback seen in the base-metals complex suggests that underlying sentiment remains very bullish, with dip buyers welcoming lower prices with open arms," Fast...Read More

The seaborne premium hard coking coal price in the cfr market jumped on Monday May 31, with a deal heard done at $275 per tonne cfr China, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $153.89 per tonne, up $1.09 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $284.65 per tonne, up $21.19 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $129.95 per tonne, unchangedHard cokin...Read More

Seaborne hard coking coal prices increased on Tuesday June 1 following Monday's jump in the premium hard coking coal cfr price and with support from a lack of spot volumes. And sources said that major mills in east China have proposed a first round of coke price cuts this year by 120 yuan ($19) per tonne.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $153.44 per tonne, down by $0.45 per to...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Bulk ferro-alloy prices have shown impressive gains again this month, with ferro-silicon, silicon metal and manganese alloy prices all making significant increases. Noble alloy markets also enjoyed upward momentum, with both vanadium and molybdenum prices rising sharply.Recovering demand from steelmakers globally, together w...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

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.Throughout 2021, I have been quite vociferous in my view that prices for copper (along with several other mined commodities) do not reflect fundamentals – the dynamics of supply, demand, stocks, costs and their empirically-obser...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.Copper is a cornerstone of the EV revolution.At the heart of the electric vehicle, copper is used throughout because of its high electrical conductivity, durability and malleability. And even more is used in charging stations and in s...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.As we look to 2020, copper is faced with a finely balanced market. For now, positive investor sentiment around copper’s fundamentals is supporting higher prices. Stronger demand growth is underpinned by new semis capacity, while...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.Guilty of going after tonnages and pursuing growth at any cost during bull times, the world's mining companies have suffered a wave of CEO replacements, with shareholders demanding more capital austerity and returns in the form of div...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The steady climb in copper prices since mid-2020 – and the more recent launch into the stratosphere – puts me in mind of Senator Gracchus in the film Gladiator. Specifically, his observation that fear and wonderment is a p...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.This article first appear in Forbes on Oct 7, 2018. After a positive start to 2018, growing trade tensions have raised concerns over global economic growth, while tightening global liquidity is having an adverse effect on many em...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.We enter 2021 with many mined commodity prices riding high after recovering from a dramatic pandemic-induced slump in H1 2020. But far from marking a new atmosphere of positivity, the new year brings new questions. How will Chinese po...Read More

RAPAPORT... Hong Kong-based retail sales of jewelry and other hard-luxury items were far below pre-pandemic levels in April as tourism remained stagnant.Revenue from jewelry, watches, clocks and other valuable gifts came to HKD 2.63 billion ($338.6 million) for the month, well short of April 2019's total of HKD 5.86 billion ($747.8 million), the municipality's Census and Statistics department repo...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.As the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic began to bite, many observers confidently predicted that the end was nigh for global economic activity. Governments around the world closed their economies as the only tool available to li...Read More

RAPAPORT... Swiss watch exports exceeded pre-pandemic levels in April as demand in the US strengthened and China continued to see growth in domestic purchasing.Global shipments were 2% higher than in the same month of 2019, amounting to CHF 1.79 billion ($1.99 billion), the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry said last week. The organization used 2019 rather than last year as a base because of...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The U.S has increased tariffs on $200bn of Chinese goods to 25%, from 10%, impacting a number of metals. Commentary below comes from the Wood Mackenzie metals team:Copper By Wood Mackenzie Senior Consultant, Yanting Zhou"Previous...Read More

RAPAPORT... Regional health authorities for Canada's Northwest Territories have declared a coronavirus outbreak at the Ekati mine, sending operations temporarily into flux.The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) recommended workers at the mine enter quarantine after three positive cases were identified following regular testing, it said Monday. Regularly scheduled flights to the...Read More

The premium for direct-reduced (DR) iron ore pellet has remained at $60.20 per tonne for shipments in the second quarter of this year, but market sources were expecting it to rise in the third quarter, Fastmarkets heard on Tuesday June 1.Fastmarkets' assessment of the iron ore DR-grade pellet premium to 65% Fe fines index, Middle East reference, was $60.20 per tonne on June 1, unchanged month on m...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The outbreak of coronavirus, the oil price crash and the impending global recession present an enormous challenge for energy and natural resources. How are you keeping up with the spread of Covid-19 and its impact on your sector?We&rs...Read More

RAPAPORT PRESS RELEASE, June 1, 2021, Las Vegas... Diamond market sentiment was positive during May as the US and China saw upbeat jewelry sales. Supply shortages and a swift recovery in demand supported polished prices. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI?,,?) for 1-carat diamonds rose 0.8% in May.  RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI?,,?) Read More