The US Midwest aluminium premium has risen to its highest since Fastmarkets' initial assessment in 2003, with the market struggling to attract much-needed supply.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium P1020A premium, ddp Midwest US at 24-25 cents per lb on Friday April 23, up by 2.08% from 23.5-24.5 cents per lb one week earlier.Friday's assessment surpasses the premium's previous high of 24.00-24.25...Read More

The US aluminium billet premium set another all-time high on Friday April 23, after breaking its previous all-time high just last month, supported by tight supply and strong demand.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, delivered Midwest US at 20-22 cents per lb on April 23, narrowing up from 18-22 cents per lb on March 26 and its highest since Fastmarkets began assessin...Read More

Nickel's three-month price showed the biggest rise among base metals on the London Metal Exchange at the close of trading on Friday April 23, with most prices finishing the week on a positive note due to a low US Dollar Index and fund buying acitivty in the complex.The price of nickel was up by 2% to $16,395 per tonne from Thursday's 5pm price of $16,063 per tonne, after trading sideways for most...Read More

Brazil's total mineral production in the first quarter increased by 14.65% from the corresponding period of 2020, with revenues rising by 95% on the same basis of comparison, the country's mining institute, Ibram, said on Thursday April 22. Brazil produced 227 million tonnes of mineral products in the first quarter, up from 198 million tonnes a year before, according to Ibram. The main materials p...Read More

A summary of production figures and financial results from Finnish metal producer Terrafame in the first quarter of 2021, as stated in its earnings report on Friday April 23. In brief:  Total nickel production decreased by 12.9% year on year for the first quarter of 2021 due to electricity supply problems caused by freezing temperatures halting production in January. The electrical suppl...Read More

Fastmarkets' copper concentrates treatment and refining charge (TC/RCs) index rebounded for the second consecutive week on April 23, while smelters' buying activity slowed down, sources said.Few buyers were active in the spot market this week with deals for concentrate shipped in June and July settling in the low $30s, Fastmarkets heard.  Read More

Global aluminium manufacturer and recycler Novelis has achieved Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard certification at seven of its European sites, ASI reported on Thursday April 22.The company's seven operations in Europe - in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK - have been certified against the ASI's Performance Standard for responsible production, sourcing and stewardsh...Read More

Emmerson's premium offeringSPONSOREDemmerson plcAlto emerging on song at SandstoneSPONSOREDalto metalsTowards Sustainable Mining Tailings Guidance Aligns with Global StandardSPONSOREDthe mining association of canadaWMX resetting the base for new Wiluna futureSPONSOREDwiluna mining corporationFreeport's first-quarter update revealed EBITDA of US$2 billion - up 7% versus Q4 and a five-...Read More

The London Metal Exchange is suspending the trading of all prompt dates from December 2021 onwards on its cash-settled alumina futures contract with immediate effect, it said on Friday April 23. The LME alumina contract was launched on March 11, 2019 and settled against Fastmarkets MB's benchmark daily fob Australia alumina index in a basket alongside CRU's alumina index. Equal weighting was...Read More

Look beyond market approach to project valuations: van ZylLeadershipEmmerson's premium offeringSPONSOREDemmerson plcAlto emerging on song at SandstoneSPONSOREDalto metalsTowards Sustainable Mining Tailings Guidance Aligns with Global StandardSPONSOREDthe mining association of canadaThe fundraising is pricing new shares at 7.3c each, with "key shareholder" SSI and undisclosed institutions parti...Read More

Flat-rolled steel import prices were mostly up in South America in the week ended Friday April 23, with customers accepting higher prices from all destinations amid an international uptrend.Market participants were still unsure about the potential export tax rebate cut in China, and traders were offering Chinese products both with and without that reduction included.Limited export allocation from...Read More

The outlook for steel prices remained bullish in Brazil in March and April, with a broader global uptrend, raw material cost inflation, and strong demand from end-user and for restocking were supporting increases to clients, Usiminas commercial vice president Miguel Holmes said on Friday April 23.The flat steel producer calculated the domestic premium over imports to be negative at 3-5% after duti...Read More

Indian secondary billet prices fell by 1,600 rupees ($21) per tonne during the week to Friday April 23 on subdued demand from finished product makers, market sources said."There is a shortage of industrial oxygen all over the country because oxygen is being prioritized for medical use [for treatment of Covid-19]," an official from an integrated billet mill told Fastmarkets. Read More

European buyers of steel coil are encountering difficulties obtaining credit insurance and opening credit lines for purchases because of the rapid price rises and extended lead times in recent months, sources told Fastmarkets this week.Market participants said the situation was limiting the ability of buyers to acquire required volumes, despite strong demand from both distributors and end consumer...Read More

Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) in Europe continued to rise on Friday April 23, due to a persistent shortage of locally produced material, limited and costly overseas alternatives and strong demand, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets calculated its daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe at ?,?971.25 ($1,168.26) per tonne on April 23, up by ?,?6.25 per tonne fr...Read More

Prices in the Commonwealth of Independent States' (CIS) export billet market remained firm over the week to April 23 due to the recovery of demand from market participants in Latin America and Asia, sources said.CIS mills continued to ask for a minimum of $600 per tonne fob Black Sea for June-shipment material, sources said.At least one cargo was heard sold to Latin America, with market participan...Read More

A Polish subsidiary of US steelmaker Commercial Metals Company (CMC) is likely to commission a new wire rod mill in the second quarter 2021, several sources told Fastmarkets on April 23.Sources that spoke to Fastmarkets expect CMC's long products facility in Zawiercie, Poland to commission a new 200,000-tonne-per-year capacity wire rod facility during the second quarter of 2021."CMC Zawierice will...Read More

An overview of the new energy materials markets and their price moves from the past week.Susan Zou and Sybil Pan...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 3 points in pre-opening comments. American Express dropped $4.84 to $142.32 after reporting lower than consensus first quarter revenues. Intel dropped $1.10 to $61.47 after reporting higher than consensus first quarter earnings, but less than consensus first quarter revenues. The company also released lower than consen...Read More

The pig iron import market in the United States increased further during the week to Friday April 23 amid strong demand.Fastmarkets' price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US was $575-585 per tonne on Friday, up by $5 per tonne from $570-580 per...Read More