Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were generally weaker this morning, Tuesday August 3, with LME copper and SHFE aluminium bucking the trend, but the drop in US ten-year treasury yield hints of a pick-up in haven buying.* Asian equities mainly lower this morning* Some disappointing manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) have raised conc...Read More

Some flat steel import prices to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia decreased during the week to Tuesday August 3, while demand was still weak in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, sources told Fastmarkets.Both countries were celebrating the Eid al-Adha holiday during July 20-23, and buying has still not improved, sources said.Saudi ArabiaIndia offered HRC at $980-990 per tonne cfr to Saudi Arabia,...Read More

ArcelorMittal Europe has launched new long steel products under its XCarb brand which are claimed to offer a reduced carbon footprint, with the intention of supporting the construction industry's efforts to meet environmental protection goals, the company announced on Friday July 30.ArcelorMittal Europe's Long Product division said that environmental production declarations (EPDs) were now availab...Read More

The downtrend in the flat-rolled steel export market from the Commonwealth of Independent States slowed amid resumed buying activity during the week to Monday August 2.Fastmarkets' weekly assessment of steel hot-rolled coil, export, fob Black Sea, CIS was $915-925 per tonne on Monday, narrowing downward from $915-930 per tonne a week prior.Russia-origin material was sold to Turkey at $940-950 per...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 8 points in pre-opening trade.Micron added $0.95 to $78.59 after announcing a $0.10 per share dividend paid quarterly.Take Two dropped $7.34 to $165.87 after the company offered guidance below consensus. Mosaic added $1.31 to US$31.23 after reporting higher than consensus second quarter earnings. Clorox dropped $17.20...Read More

Prices for steel scrap in the Mexican steelmaking regions of Bajio and Monterrey were stable or down in the week ended Friday July 30, with few consumers feeling confident enough to try to apply price cuts for some grades of obsolete material.Price cuts of 100-200 pesos ($5-10) per tonne were heard from at least one scrap buyer in Mexico, but the reduction was not widespread among the market. Mark...Read More

Turkish steel producers resumed their deep-sea scrap bookings after a short break, taking advantage of lower prices, market participants told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 3.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo comprising 29,000 tonnes of heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) at $463 per tonne and 8,000 tonnes of shredded and 3,000 tonnes of plate and structural (P&S) at $478 per tonne c...Read More

Lower bids for Japanese steel scrap heard from key buyers, combined with the sharp drop in Chinese ferrous futures this week, have created a slide in sentiment across the major Asian steel scrap markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 3.Slide in Chinese futures market reduces cfr China scrap, billet pricesTokyo Steel drops scrap buy prices at Tahara works, except for Shindachi bushelin...Read More

Iron ore exports from Brazil were down by 6.63% in July this year from the corresponding month of 2020 because there were fewer workdays and lower overall shipments, the country's economy ministry said on Monday August 2.But with the price of iron ore reaching an all-time high this year, the associated revenues in July were more than double those achieved last year.Brazilian exports totaled 31.73...Read More

Lower bids for Japanese steel scrap heard from key buyers, combined with the sharp drop in Chinese ferrous futures this week, have created a slide in sentiment across the major Asian steel scrap markets, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday August 3. Slide in Chinese futures market reduces cfr China scrap, billet prices Tokyo Steel drops scrap buy prices at Tahara works, except for Shindachi bushel...Read More

Iron ore prices edged up on Tuesday August 3, with market participants uncertain about the nature of steel production cuts in the rest of 2021, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $184.67 per tonne, up $0.25 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $185.47 per tonne, up $0.39 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, cfr Qingdao: $149.00 per tonn...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices inched up in the cfr market and slipped in the fob market on Tuesday August 3, amid weak buying interest in both markets, sources said.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $214.67 per tonne, down $1.53 per tonnePremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $326.69 per tonne, up $0.30 per tonne Hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $182.41 per tonne, down $1.25 pe...Read More

China's domestic hot-rolled coil prices extended their losses on Tuesday August 3, falling to their lowest in a month on lingering fears of an easing of the country's plan to cut steel production.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,660-5,750 yuan ($876-890) per tonne, down by 100-110 yuan per tonneHRC futures fell for a second day during the day, with the most-traded October contract on the Shangh...Read More

China's domestic rebar prices continued to fall on Tuesday August 3, with demand weakened by adverse weather and a resurgence of Covid-19 infections.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 5,130-5,170 yuan ($794-800) per tonne, down by 60-70 yuan per tonneRain in eastern and southern China affected construction activity, particularly in coastal cities that experienced heavy downpour.A spike in Covid-19...Read More

Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were generally weaker this morning, Tuesday August 3, with LME copper and SHFE aluminium bucking the trend, but the drop in US ten-year treasury yield hints of a pick-up in haven buying.Asian equities mainly lower this morningSome disappointing manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) have raised concern about...Read More

The Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam,...Read More

The Cobalt alloy grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lbtrade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets publishes trades logs for its key price assessments and indices to bring more transparencyinto the markets it covers and the pricing process it applies.Fastmarkets assessed Cobalt alloy...Read More

Africa-focused megaproject developer Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; US-OTC: IVPAF) has declared commercial production at the first phase of the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, effective from July 1. Ivanhoe said today the 3.8 million-tonne-per-annum concentrator plant was deemed to have reached commercial production after achieving more than 80% of design capacity, with re...Read More

Pure Gold Mining (TSXV: PGM; LSE: PUR) has kicked off commercial production at its namesake mine in Red Lake, Ontario, eight months after pouring first gold.The Toronto-based miner said the milestone, achieved on August 1, followed a successful commissioning period.The Pure Gold mine, milling facilities, and other critical systems are now all operating in line with or rapidly approachi...Read More

Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX; NYSE: GOLD) and its key stakeholders have agreed on independent government-led oversight of the environmental and social impact studies for the Pueblo Viejo gold mine expansion in Dominican Republic.The US$1.3 billion project will extend the mine life until 2040 and beyond by expanding the mill and the tailings management facility. The expansion will also enable the mining...Read More