Fastmarkets' copper concentrates treatment and refining charge (TC/RC) index rose to its highest level since October 2019 this week, with Chinese smelters staying on the sidelines amid a murky outlook on production plans and product sales following the coronavirus outbreak. A weekly brief on the Fastmarkets' copper concentrate index: Fastmarkets' copper concentrates TC/RC index ticks up with more...Read More
RAPAPORT... Fancy-color diamond prices fell as a sharp decline in demand for yellows outweighed growth in other hues, according to the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF).The organization's Fancy Color Diamond Index for yellows fell 5.4% year on year in the fourth quarter, while prices for blues rose 0.2%, the FCRF said Monday. Pink fancy-color diamonds inched up 0.1%, with the overall ind...Read More
RAPAPORT... When millennials tuck into their avocado toast, they probably don't realize they're going along with a successful marketing campaign that began decades ago. Sales and prices of the slippery green fruit have soared since the 1990s thanks to subtle efforts by avocado producers to reposition the once-unpopular item as a healthy, trendy food.The diamond industry has gone the opposite way....Read More
Fastmarkets outlines five key takeaways from SteelOrbis' 11th Annual Rebar and Wire Rod Conference that was held in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 3.Panelists included Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America; Philip Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA); and Vince Pappas, president of Stone Steel Corporation. Steel imports currently sub...Read More
RAPAPORT... Botswana's diamond trade took center stage in the newest episode of a documentary highlighting sustainability in the fashion industry.The Fashionscapes films were created by Livia Firth, wife of actor Colin Firth, and cofounder and creative director of sustainability and communications consultancy Eco-Age. A screening of the film, which Firth created together with director Andrew...Read More
Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States declined on Monday February 10, with distributors holding off on purchase orders in expectation of lower prices later. Fastmarkets' daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US was calculated at $29.17 per hundredweight ($583.40 per short ton)on Monday February 10, down by 1.6% from $29.64 per cwt on Friday February 7 and down by 1.9% from $29.75...Read More
Steel plate prices in the United States retreated after ferrous scrap indicators were lower and buyers demonstrated a reluctance to stock up in the face of price hikes in the new year.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel cut-to-length plate carbon grade, fob mill US weakened to $31 per hundredweight ($620 per short ton) on Friday February 7 from $32 per cwt on January 31 - ...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Over the past 10 years, fancy color diamond prices have increased 77 percent. That's according to newly released information from the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF). Tracking the Fancy Color Diamond Index for the past decade shows that the price of pink diamonds has increased 116 percent, blue diamond prices have risen 81 percent and yellow diamond prices ha...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, SI, a member insurer of the Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group, has earned its 33rd consecutive A+ Superior financial strength rating from insurance rating and information source A.M. Best Company.The rating references Jewelers Mutual's strong risk-adjusted capitalization, operating results and liquidity. A.M. Best also considered Jewelers Mutua...Read More
Russian miner Alrosa will hold four auctions in New York this year for rough diamonds weighing more than 10.8 ct.“In general, each auction attracts up to 100 companies from different countries. Auction sales currently account for about 10% of our overall sales,” Alrosa deputy CEO Evgeny Agureev commented in a statement on Friday.AdvertisementThe first auction in New York will be held f...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Russian diamond miner Alrosa has announced that it will hold four auctions in 2020 in New York for rough diamonds weighing over 10.8 carats.The first auction will take place on February 18-28 with results announced in the beginning of March. The following auctions are scheduled for May 11, July 20 and November 16. "In general, each auction attracts up to 100 companies from dif...Read More
Falling scrap costs in Turkey as well as low demand in the major sales outlets negatively affected steel billet producers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the first week of February.Chinese customers' cancelling orders stoked negative sentiment in and added pressure to the Asian market.Up to 100,000 tonnesof steel billet initially orderedfor China is now being offered to Southe...Read More
Fastmarkets has amended the publication date of its Brazilian domestic steel price assessments, ex-works Brazil, reais per tonne, following market feedback.The publication of the Brazilian domestic flat steel and rebar price assessments has moved from the first Friday of each month to the second Friday of each month, allowing Fastmarkets to capture price changes more quickly and accurately.The nex...Read More
Some rebar producers in Egypt have decreased their prices in effect from Monday February 10 amid falling billet prices and a strong domestic currency, sources told Fastmarkets.The country's biggest producer Ezz Steel is now offering rebar at E ?9,900 ($626) per tonne ex-works including 14% VAT, down from E ?10,000 per tonne ex-works.El Marakby...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued to book deep-sea scrap from the United States and Europe for end of February and early March shipments, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday February 10.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a European cargo of 20,000-25,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $252 per tonne cfr.A steel mill in the Marmara region booked a US cargo, comprising 18,000 tonnes of H...Read More
Artemis all set thanks to unique approachSPONSOREDartemis resourcesState copper company Codelco, the grand dame of copper producers, is increasingly showing the signs of age as production fell 5.6% in 2019 to 1.Read More
Turkish domestic auto bundle and ship scrap prices have continued to slide over the past week in line with the falling cost of imported scrap, sources said on Monday February 10.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel scrap, auto bundle scrap, domestic, delivered Turkey, was 1,510-1,715 lira ($251-285) per tonne on February 10, down from 1,560-1,800 lira per tonne last week.The Turkish stee...Read More
The broader markets were mixed on the morning of Monday February 10, with equities in Asia generally weaker, as were metals on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, while the London Metal Exchange was firmer across the board.China’s CSI 300 is up by 0.21%, while other Asian equity indices are lower. Gold prices are edging higher again.There is still much uncertainty around the impact of the Wuh...Read More
Ferrous scrap prices continued to move lower across the global markets during the week ended Friday February 7, following poor trading as a result of the coronavirus outbreak in Asia.Turkish prices drop sharplyUnited States export prices drop on Turkey bookingsTaiwan import prices slip on demand dipVietnam prices move down as virus dampens sentimentIndian import prices slump as trading returnsTurk...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices eased on Monday February 10 amid the de-escalation of Tropical Cyclone Damien which hit Western Australia at the end of last week.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $82.88 per tonne, down $0.71 per tonne.62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $82.21 per tonne, down $0.71 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $84.07 per tonne, down $0.95 per...Read More