RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:Breakdown in Crude Oil sparks talk of sub $30 price targets.Initial support likely near $32 to $33.Predictive Modeling suggests deeper price lows may be reached before November 2020.Have you been paying attention to Crude Oil recently?  Prices have collapsed over -15% from the recent highs near $43.78. You may remember a research article I posted originally in July 2019 su...Read More

Since posting new record highs in early August, the gold market has consolidated above $1,900/oz support.A close below the $1,900 level would carry bearish implications for the near term.Alternatively, a move back above $2,000/oz would likely be followed through to the upside with a rally to fresh highs. Silver, in turn, could be expected to run to new multi-year highs above $30/oz. These breakout...Read More

Despite broad stability in global zinc premiums this week, and a sharp drop in the metal's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange, an opening of the import arbitrage window for material delivered into China sparked expectations for improved demand in the region.Zinc markets in the United States and Europe were also generally stagnant this week, while a steady recovery in the US economy fue...Read More

Flat-rolled steel import prices in South America mostly continued to rise in the week to Friday September 11, with both deals and new offers being reported at higher levels, supported by recovering demand and lower availability from mills, market participants said.More restricted export allocations from China, Japan and Brazil, as well as gradual restarts in activity on the continent, were still d...Read More

Export prices for Brazil-origin steel slab have widened upward in the past week with offers continuing to increase and material remaining scarce, Fastmarkets has heard.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel slab, export, fob main port Brazil, widened upward to $440-460 per tonne on Friday September 11, from $440-450 per tonne a week earlier.Offers of Brazilian slab were heard mainly in Nor...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ended Friday September 11.China The upward momentum in the domestic market continued for a third week, with prices moving up by 100 yuan ($15) per tonne amid buoyant sentiment after major steel mills raised their tender prices. Hesteel set its September tender price for 72% ferro-silicon at 6,050 yuan...Read More

All three-month London Metal Exchange prices, apart from aluminium, posted gains on Friday September 11.Copper, lead, zinc, lead and tin all trended upwards over the day on Friday, with the three-month copper price breaching the $6,700 per tonne mark to close at $6,713.50 per tonne after trading a little more than 13,680 lots.There are 75,550 tonnes of copper stocks across LME-registered ware...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices rose on Friday September 11 amid expectations of a restocking of inventory by Chinese steelmakers before a national holiday next month, according to trade sources.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $128.37 per tonne, up by $2.28 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $128.18 per tonne, up by $2.03 per tonne.58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr...Read More

Seaborne premium hard coking coal prices rose on Friday September 11 after Chinese market participants returned to the market and added impetus to spot trading activity, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $113.38 per tonne, up $1.20 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $127.59 per tonne, up $0.78 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $92.18 per tonne, u...Read More

Aluminium primary foundry alloy premiums in Germany and Eastern Europe rose for a second consecutive month on Friday September 11, with stronger fundamentals supporting the increase.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium primary foundry alloy silicon 7 ingot premium, ddp Germany and the aluminium primary foundry alloy silicon 7 ingot premium, ddp Eastern Europe at $300-330 per tonne, with both up from...Read More

Indian mills were receiving significantly lower bids for their exports of hot-rolled coil with Chinese mills having cut their HRC export prices, Fastmarkets heard on Friday September 11."Chinese mills have dropped their HRC export offers, particularly for Southeast Asian destinations," one market participant said. "Indian mills will have to drastically cut their offer prices to stay relevant in th...Read More

Energy Alloys Holdings, which produces nickel, stainless and carbon steel alloys for the energy industry, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on Wednesday September 9, court filings show.The Woodlands, Texas-based company is a subsidiary of New York-based private equity firm Blackstone Group. According to its website, En...Read More

All three-month London Metal Exchange prices, apart from aluminium, posted gains on Friday September 11.Copper, lead, zinc, lead and tin all trended upwards over the day on Friday, with the three-month copper price breaching the $6,700 per tonne mark to close at $6,713.50 per tonne after trading a little more than 13,680 lots.There are 75,550 tonnes of copper stocks across LME-registered ware...Read More

The London Metal Exchange's latest off-warrant stock data showed a net rise of 148,027 tonnes of material held outside of the LME network, with aluminium stockpiles increasing the most, while off-warrant zinc stocks showed a 21% decline compared with a 13.5% climb in LME on-warrant inventory over the period.The data, released on Thursday September 10, reported stock levels at the end of July. The...Read More

Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) rebounded in the week ending September 11, rising from an all-time low due to the improved spot availability of copper materials.TC/RCs fell to record lows in the week to September 4.Smelter purchases were mostly settled at high $40s/4 cents with very few parcels transacted at a TC level below or above that.On the mine-trade...Read More

The Brazilian aluminium industry association, Abal, has requested a meeting with national trade authorities to discuss the primary metal import quota because it is quickly being used up because of a recovery in demand and tighter local supply, the group told Fastmarkets on Thursday September 10."We are observing market necessities and have already asked for a meeting with Secint/Camex to assess th...Read More

The three-month zinc price on the LME was the standout performer during morning trading on Friday September 11, while an 11,500-tonne fresh cancellation pushed LME copper beyond nearby resistance levels.Zinc's price action made a steady return toward key resistance at $2,500 per tonne with its outright price on the LME was recently seen at $2,454.50 per tonne - more than 2% hig...Read More

Prices for cold-rolled and galvanized steel sheet rose after a fresh round of mill price rises enticed more buyers to book tonnage before the summertime pricing rebound gains even more momentum.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, fob mill US climbed to $35 per hundredweight ($700 per short ton) on Thursday September 10, from $34 per cwt ($680 per ton) on September...Read More

The mood in the Northern European market for hot-rolled coil remained upbeat on Friday September 11, supported by reduced output from domestic mills, long lead times and the absence of "workable" import offers, sources have told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was calculated at ?,?476.01 ($563.46) per tonne on September 11, down by ?,?0.14...Read More

Strong demand led to an increase in the price of hot-dipped galvanized coil (HDG) and color-coated coil (pre-painted galvanized iron, or PPGI) in Turkey's domestic market in the week to Friday September 11, sources told Fastmarkets.Buyers preferred to secure bookings before prices increase further, they added.Coated coil prices rose in line with increasing production costs because of higher p...Read More