The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Trading activity at a minimumWelded pipe trading activity has been slow globally over July 2020, and while the holiday-period slowdown is partly to blame in several countries, disruptions to projects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic were obviously the main cause. In this context, substrate costs were driving much of the prici...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.Global markets for coated steel continue to run at different speeds with regards to pricing at the start of the summer season in the northern hemisphere. In Asia, prices continue to rise although, as we note in our Asia analysis this month, much of this is merely cost inflation with steelmakers passing on higher substrate cos...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This year has come with several unexpected events which increased the bullish case for iron ore prices, while the Chinese government's spending on infrastructure is likely to boost iron ore demand and add upside support to prices. But supply disruptions and a demand surge which caused price spikes are now easing. We do not e...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Trading activity at a minimumWelded pipe trading activity has been slow globally over July 2020, and while the holiday-period slowdown is partly to blame in several countries, disruptions to projects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic were obviously the main cause. In this context, substrate costs were driving much of the prici...Read More
Pig iron demand remained negligible in the United States during the week ended Friday July 31 due to the depressed nature of the steel market, Fastmarkets has heard.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US, was $325-335 per tonne on Friday, widening from $327-330 per tonne a week before."Hot-rolled [steel product] prices continue to fall and the utilization...Read More
Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesA solid operational performance at Katanga kept copper production stable quarter on quarter, but production of zinc (-14%), nickel (-4%), ferrochrome (-80%), and coal (-19%) reflected what CEO IvanRead More
The US aluminium billet premium rose to its highest point in nearly nine months on Friday July 31, with billet producers securing higher spot premiums while the automotive and construction sectors continued to recover from Covid-19-related disruptions.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, delivered Midwest US at 7-9 cents per lb on July 31, narrowing upward from 6-9 cen...Read More
Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesHeadline earnings per share for the June quarter came in at C1c, above consensus estimates.Revenues jumped 84% sequentially to $91.1 million, resulting in positive cash flow of $41.5 million and adjusted EBITDA of $15.7 million.Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesRevenues benefited from the positive m...Read More
A summary of Peru-based miner Buenaventura's production figures and financial results for the second quarter of 2020, as stated in its earnings report published on Thursday July 30.In brief Mine production fell sharply during the second quarter from a year before, because units had to be closed to comply with the state of emergency declared by the Peruvian government in light of the Covid-19 pande...Read More
An overview of the battery raw materials markets and their latest price moves.Read More
Stocks of copper and nickel in Shanghai bonded warehouses rose at the end of July on the closure of the import arbitrage window, while zinc inventories witnessed a decline despite the poor arbitrage. Aluminium stocks were little changed. Shanghai bonded copper stocks up amid closed arbitrage The lack of appetite for imported copper amid the closed arbitrage window between London and Shanghai led t...Read More
The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was the standout performer at the close of trading on Friday July 31, breaching nearby resistance in a continued incline over the day, while sideways trading in LME copper futures kept the metal's outright price firmly near the $6,400 per tonne threshold. Zinc's outright price on the LME closed at $2,318.50 per tonne on Friday afternoon, with...Read More
Fastmarkets' copper concentrates treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) index retreated on Friday July 31 due to continued supply concerns related to Covid-19 shutdowns after more copper producers cut their 2020 production guidance this week. Traders are offering clean copper concentrates into the Chinese market in the high $40s per tonne / 4cents per lb and deals have been heard at that level. A...Read More
Tin stocks in Shanghai Futures Exchange-registered warehouses increased the most in percentage terms across the base metals complex, rising by 12% or 352 tonnes to 3,283 tonnes in the week to Friday July 31. The inflows mainly arrived in warehouses run by Zhongchu Dachang in Shanghai and 830 Huangpu in Guangdong with rises respectively of 153 tonnes and 38 tonnes to 240 tonnes and 1,103 tonnes. "T...Read More
United States' mills list prices for domestic steel beams have held their ground even with mills offering rebates, while prices for imported product have fallen, sources said, noting the steel industry is seeing steady to improving demand.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for steel beams 8 x 8-inch, fob mill US held at $35.25 per hundredweight ($705 per short ton) on Thursday July 30, unc...Read More
Steel industry associations praised the passage of a measure that would ensure adequate funding for trade enforcement activities conducted by the International Trade Administration's Office of Enforcement and Compliance (E&C) to ensure adequate resources to enforce US trade laws."The US House of Representatives today passed an amendment, introduced by the leaders of the Congressional Steel Caucus,...Read More
Indian blast furnace-grade billet export prices have increased by $5 per tonne in the week to Friday July 31, with China being a major buyer along with Southeast Asian countries.Fastmarkets assessed steel billet export, fob main port India at $400-405 per tonne on Friday, up by $5 per tonne from last week's assessment of $395-400 per tonne.Both private sector and government-owned mills have been s...Read More
Brazilian slab export prices increased by $10 per tonne in the week ended Friday July 31, with offers up amid a revival in demand in most buying markets.Sellers were making offers and hoping to achieve deals at $400 per tonne fob, because many had comfortable lead times and were in no rush to book orders.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, reached $39...Read More
A summary of sales figures from Russian steelmaker Evraz in the second quarter of 2020, as stated in a trading update report published on Thursday July 30. In brief Sales of semi-finished steel products from Evraz assests based in the Commonwealth of Independednt States (CIS) surged by 29.2% year on year in the second quarter of 2020 to 1.67 million tonnes from 1.29 million tonnes. CIS asset...Read More
Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe were fairly stable day on day on Friday July 31 due to the seasonal market slowdown, but sentiment in the market remained positive, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was calculated at ?,?412.50 ($486.30) per tonne on Friday, down by ?,?0.45 per tonne from ?,?412.95 per tonne...Read More