Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States have slipped back below $25 per hundredweight ($500 per ton) after pushing above that threshold late last week amid uncertainty about whether the latest price increases from domestic mills would stick.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $24.98 per cwt ($499.60 per ton) on Monday June 1, down by 0.8% from $25.18 p...Read More

Steel plate prices in the United States have continued to hold steady after a round of price increases announced in late May again failed to gain traction on the market.US plate mills announced hikes of $40-50 per short ton ($2-2.50 per hundredweight) during the week ended May 22, but so far the follow-through has been hampered by pre-increase discounting and severe weakness in important end marke...Read More

The United States Department of Commerce has announced an affirmative circumvention ruling against imports of steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) from Mexico.Commerce issued an affirmative preliminary circumvention ruling against Mexican rebar on March 4.Commerce said imports of straight rebar that is bent at one or both ends and produced and/or exported to the US by Deacero SAPI de CV circumve...Read More

Prices for domestic and imported merchant bar quality (MBQ) steel in the United States remained flat in May amid stirrings of activity and an improving outlook.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for steel bar 2 x 2 x  1/4 -inch angle merchant products, fob mill US was unchanged at $33.80 per hundredweight ($676 per short ton) on Friday May 29 after declining to that level on April 24; the...Read More

Domestic prices for steel hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe decreased further during the week to Friday May 29, due to low demand.Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was ?,?400.71 ($444.84) per tonne on Friday, down by ?,?6.79 per tonne week on week and by ?,?25.54 per tonne month on month.Friday's index was calculated based on deals and "workable" price...Read More

Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesSolaris issued 25 million shares priced at 80c, with each unit including a three-year warrant priced at $1.20.The proceeds will be used to advance exploration at the Warintza copper-molybdenum project in Ecuador, including a comprehensive geophysical survey and expanded drilling programme.Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSP...Read More

Markets were for the most part stronger this morning, Monday June 1, following relief that United States President Donald Trump’s response last Friday to China’s plans to impose national security laws in Hong Kong did not shake market sentiment because he did not meddle with the phase one US-China trade deal, or increase sanctions. Asian-Pacific equities indices were up strongly, as were...Read More

Mining company Rio Tinto has apologized for destroying one of Australia's oldest Aboriginal heritage sites in order to expand an iron ore project and said that it was urgently reviewing plans at other sites in the Juukan Gorge area.Blasting associated with the expansion of Rio Tinto's Brockman 4 iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia over the weekend devastated the Juukan Gorge c...Read More

Turkish domestic ship scrap prices rose over the past week, in line with stronger imported scrap values, market sources said on Monday June 1.The Turkish steel producers resumed their deep-sea scrap purchases at higher prices after the Eid al-Fitr break, which marks the end of Ramadan.Following the upturn in import values, three steel mills raised their...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures slipped 4 points in pre-opening trade.U.S. equity index futures were weaker despite strength in European and Far East equity markets. Notably stronger was the Shanghai Composite Index, up 63.08 to a 10 week high of 2915.43 following news that the China Caixin Purchasing Managers Index advanced from 49.4 in April to 50.7 in May....Read More

Turkish steel producers have continued their deep-sea scrap purchases on further easing of the restrictions imposed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, sources said on Monday June 1.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Canadian cargo, comprising 10,000 tonnes of shredded, 15,000 tonnes of plate and structural scrap (P&S) and 25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (90:10) at an average pric...Read More

Seaborne premium hard coking coal prices edged down on Monday June 1, with no transactions heard on the day.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $109.02 per tonne, down $0.57 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $115.93 per tonne, down $0.52 per tonneHard coking coal, fob DBCT: $89.57 per tonne, down $0.99 per tonne ...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices mostly decreased on Monday June 1 after the surge on Friday May 29, with market participants waiting for a clear trend. Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $100.45 per tonne, down $1.94 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $103.89 per tonne, down $1.11 per tonne. 58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $91.93 per tonne, up $4.63 per to...Read More

Hot-rolled coil prices in Vietnam softened over the past week, but movements in the iron ore market will likely stimulate spot demand for the flat steel product from the major buyer, sources told Fastmarkets.Prices for the steelmaking raw material surged last week amid concerns over the supply of high-grade Brazilian materials, which in turn emerged as a result of speculation about there being hun...Read More

The London Metal Exchange has formally canceled this year's LME Week, which was due to take place in London later this year, "due to the Covid-19 pandemic."All of its official events related to the annual gathering will not happen this year, the exchange said in a notice to members on Monday June 1."In the interests of ensuring the safety of all attendees from across the metals industry, the LME h...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices moved up on Monday June 1 following early gains in the futures market that emerged in response to positive data on downstream demand.Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,570-3,600 yuan ($500-504) per tonne, up by 40 yuan per tonneChina's steel purchasing managers' index for May was 50.9 points, which is 5 points higher than that for April, the China Federation of Logi...Read More

China's hot-rolled coil prices surged on futures gains on Monday June 1, prompting importers to bid above $430 per tonne for Indian material, but sources warned of high risks following the significant increase.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,650-3,660 yuan ($511-513) per tonne, up 60-70 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tangshan): 3,630 yuan per tonne, up 60 yuan per tonneTrading was active nation...Read More

Key data from Fastmarkets' pricing session in Europe in the week to Friday May 29.Key drivers Antimony prices edged downward for a third consecutive session on sluggish demand and limited trading in Rotterdam. The metal was also affected by depreciation of the Chinese yuan, which briefly hit...Read More

Outright spot cobalt hydroxide prices picked up in May with buyers seeking nearby units to fill gaps created by delayed shipments out of South Africa, and paying a premium to do so.Fastmarkets' cobalt hydroxide index, min 30% Co, cif China was calculated at $10.32 per lb on Friday May 29, up by 3.41% from the calculation at the end of April.The monthly index takes account of the month's spot cobal...Read More

The offshore yuan is near record lows against the dollar while diplomatic tensions between the United States and China rise, which could lower the price of Chinese-produced metals and minerals.In offshore markets, which are less tightly controlled than markets in mainland China, the yuan briefly hit a record low of 7.20 to the dollar on Thursday May 28. The following day it was trading slightly ab...Read More