A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday June 2.Please click...Read More

In Part I of this research article, I tried to highlight the major market cycle phases that often drive volatility, uncertainty, and bigger trends in the US/Global markets as well as Precious Metals.  Additionally, my team and I highlighted the technical confluence pattern that has setup as Gold prices have rallied above downward sloping price channels (price Flags) recently.  This confl...Read More

The silver miners’ stockshave 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 progress has leftthis tiny contrarian sector out of favor, with apathy reigning.  But as their recently-reported Q1’21 operatingand financial results revealed, silver...Read More

Domestic prices for European heavy steel plate were unchanged over the week to Wednesday June 2, due to holidays in a number of EU countries, sources have told Fastmarkets.Sentiment in the market remained positive, however, and demand was expected to recover next week, market sources said."Demand is fine. I think we will see it improving further due to [the emergence of new] projects and long-term...Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 2 that are worth another look.Recent weakness in Chinese export hot-rolled coil prices are likely to have minimal impact on prices in Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States - major flat steel suppliers - at least in the short term,...Read More

Technology entrepreneur Elon Musk once described the ongoing use of fossil fuels and their generation of a vast carbon footprint as "the dumbest experiment in human history."Not everyone will agree with his assessment of the petroleum, gas and coal sectors, which have powered the world's growth for decades. Nonetheless, the twin goals of supply chain security and sustainability are now driving a t...Read More

Bill Gates has a theory about green premiums: He wants to eliminate them entirely. The American business magnate and philanthropist calls green premiums the additional cost of choosing a clean technology over one that emits a greater amount of greenhouse gases.In other words, the price that metals and mining companies are starting to charge their customers for producing low-carbon produc...Read More

China's new tax regime for ferrous raw materials and steel exports will kick off a new era for the steel sector, one in which demand and supply will become more balanced and the country cuts its dependency on iron ore at a faster pace. Chinese authorities announced last week that, from May 1, import duties for metallics and semi-finished steel would be removed and that export duties for raw materi...Read More

Recent weakness in Chinese export hot-rolled coil prices are likely to have minimal impact on prices in Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States - major flat steel suppliers - at least in the short term, sources told Fastmarkets. Existing demand at key outlets and long lead times will prevent prices from following the Chinese export price in the near term, Fastmarkets has learned. Do...Read More

Nickel premiums in the US rose while premiums in Europe and Asia were stable, sources told Fastmarkets.US briquette premium rises 9%Demand continues to bolster European premiumClosed arbitrage in Asia keeps premium flatStrong fundamentals boost seaborne sulfate premiumPremiums rise as higher offers gain traction Nickel premiums in the United States rose, with the premium for nickel briquette up by...Read More

Iron ore physical prices rose on Wednesday June 2, while low-grade fines increased on buying interest from Chinese steel mills, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $209.19 per tonne, up $0.52 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $211.50 per tonne, up $0.46 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $182.30 per tonne, up $1.30 per tonne65% Fe B...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of base metals analysts are ready to view.Aluminium: SHFE tailwind for LME pricesAs we are entering the traditional strong demand season, we expect Chinese aluminium demand to show further recovery, and we expect demand from existing end-user sectors, new infrastructure projects and the export sector to show some increases. As a result, we believe that S...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of base metals analysts are ready to view, including an upgrade to our aluminium price forecasts.Aluminium: Price forecasts raisedWe correctly expected the macro reflationary theme to raise the prices for all base metals but, with it being the base metal with by far the weakest fundamentals, we had expected the price of aluminium to underperform relative...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.These include an increase in our copper mine disruption estimates, upgrades to our production outlook for Indonesian nickel pig iron (NPI), a smaller refined zinc surplus, and an upgrade to our zinc price forecasts.Aluminium: Big disconnect between price and fundamentalsAluminium has extended its uptrend on the London Metal...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view. We also review our price forecasting accuracy for the second quarter 2020.Q2 2020 price forecast performance review According to the results of Fastmarkets' Apex for the second quarter of 2020 published this week, Fastmarkets' base metals research team was the second most accurate price forecaster for nickel (99.06%), lead...Read More

Just when Silver Bugs, Stackers and other Smart Investors were beginning to think that the US Mint was "on our side", the US Mint pulls off a classic!*****UPDATE 1, LITERALLY ONE MINUTE AFTER POSTING -We'll just let Biden (or someone, or some thing) give the update:Exercise your freedom to live without fear. Get vaccinated.- President Biden (@POTUS) June 2, 2021 You'll know why that's important wh...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Global welded pipe prices surged in May as strong demand and still-insufficient supply lifted flat steel prices.The biggest jumps were seen in China, which was hit by the unexpected announcement of the elimination of export rebates on welded pipes in April. Chinese seaborne prices reached $1,570 per tonne fob for longitudina...Read More

What does summer hold for the precious metals?Steve Penny with Matt from Silver Fortune on Silver FortuneSteve offers his thoughts on a strong month of May, what the summer holds for metals, and a natural resource market that could offer more upside than silver in the next few years.FULL SHOW NOTES AND LINKS HERE Read More

"...it'll jump to $32/$33 and that will be the new floor..."by Bix Weir of Road to RootaThe US Mint has once AGAIN been caught RIGGING THE PRICE OF SILVER! 31 U.S. Code ? 5112(e) states "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall mint and issue, in qualities and quantities that the Secretary determines are SUFFICIENT TO MEET PUBLIC DEMAND" ...It makes me sick to think that MY...Read More

The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Recent weeks have largely been a repetition of the weeks leading up to our previous tracker in mid-April. A flurry of price increases have been announced, and largely obtained, by leading steelmakers in both Europe and the United States while buyers struggle to secure spot tonnages.Although steel output is rising in both reg...Read More