Gold prices rose Monday to settle at their highest in more than two weeks, getting a boost from a round of downbeat data out of the eurozone that underlined worries about global growth prospects, as traders continued to keep an eye on U.S.-China trade talks and tensions surrounding Iran. "You are seeing risk aversion in the marketplace and that is leading investors to the safe-haven assets," said...Read More

China Molybdenum Co (CMOC), the winner of the recent auction of ammonium paratungstate (APT) stocks formerly held by the defunct Fanya Metal Exchange, is not likely to offload the materials within the next year, market participants told Fastmarkets. CMOC won 28,336 tonnes of Fanya's APT stocks for 3.27 billion yuan ($463 million) in an auction on Tuesday September 17. Rather than casting a sh...Read More

The physical iron ore markets were largely inactive on Wednesday September 25 because of a key industry conference in China and the current restrictions on that country's steelmakers.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.34 per tonne, down by $0.49 per tonne62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, cfr Qingdao: $90.73 per tonne, down by $0.49 per tonne.62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao:...Read More

The London Metal Exchange three-month lead price continued to rise over the day's trading on Wednesday September 25, closing up by 2.4% on the previous day at $2,107 per tonne. Market analysts attribute the increase to prevailing supply tailwinds at a time when global demand for material is forecast to grow. Nyrstar's Port Pirie smelter closure in Australia, due to take 30,000 tonnes of mater...Read More

An overview of the minor metals markets and their latest price moves.Read More

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday September 25 that are worth another look.Global long steel consumption was expected to reach 851 million tonnes in 2019, up by 2.4% year on year although mounting political uncertainties such as trade wars and the UK's intended exit from the EU may soften this growth, according to steelmaker Celsa.Despite concerns of low price...Read More

A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday September 25.Please click...Read More

Despite concerns of low prices and poor demand, the aluminium market still has growth potential due to the automotive industry, McKinsey & Company's Benedikt Zeumer said at Fastmarkets' International Aluminium Conference held in Athens, Greece.The fastest growing underlying factor to global aluminium growth is the global automotive sector, Zeumer said. McKinsey's outlook does not indicate that the...Read More

Fastmarkets outlines some of the key topics likely to dominate discussions when participants of the battery raw materials and electric vehicle supply chain gathers in Amsterdam this week.Are cobalt buyers serious about booking early for 2020? Some discussions for cobalt supply agreements in 2020 started almost as soon as Glencore announced it would close its Mutanda mine at the end of the yea...Read More

The European low-lead tin premium moved for the first time in 15 weeks on Tuesday September 24, reflecting a combination of reduced exports amid US-imposed tariffs on steel and stagnant demand, while the latter factor kept both US and Asian premiums stable. Low-lead European premium suffers in 15% drop  Illiquidity stifles US market  Closed import window limits Asian business European l...Read More

Shanghai in-warehouse and cif full-plate nickel premiums dramatically swung into an unprecedented discount in the week to September 24 on persistent London Metal Exchange nickel spread backwardations and widening import arbitrage losses. China premiums hit a discount on deep spread backwardation amid frenzied offloading of material in the region European, United States premiums hold amid thin trad...Read More

Weakening automotive sales and production figures in India pushed the Indian lead premium to a new low in the week to September 24, while trade concluded higher in the Italian zinc market pushing the delivered, duty-paid premium up despite a stolid global demand picture....Read More

Global long steel consumption was expected to reach 851 million tonnes in 2019, up by 2.4% year-on-year although mounting political uncertainties such as trade wars and the UK's intended exit from the EU may soften this growth, according to steelmaker Celsa."A strong performance in construction activity in China, India and the rest of Asia will give support to long products consumption, specifical...Read More

Brazilian flat steelmakers were ready to announce to distributors an increase in their prices for early October, because of reduced competition from imported material, according to national flat steel distribution association Inda.Producers were announcing a 10% price increase to remove discounts that have been granted to domestic buyers, according to Inda president Carlos Loureiro."By October 7,...Read More

RAPAPORT... An emerald and diamond bracelet by Graff fetched more than four times its highestimate at Bonhams, leading an auction that saw many pieces crush presale estimates.  The piece, which was the subject of a fierce bidding war,features 13 step-cut Colombian emeralds, the largest of which is 2.56 carats,interspersed with an equal number of step-cut diamonds. It sold to a privatebuy...Read More

RAPAPORT... The Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC) has unveiled aredesigned diamond exchange, featuring the world's largest diamond-tradingfloor and special windows that will enable it to hold ruby and sapphiretenders. The Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), located in Almas Towers, nowhas 41 tables, fully secured with cameras, as well as special lighting thatallows buyers to examine diamonds an...Read More

RAPAPORT... A Cartier twin sapphire and diamond ring fetched more than double its low estimate at Skinner Auctioneers. The piece, which was created in the 1950s, features twoKashmir sapphires weighing 5.34 and 4.91 carats, and tapered, baguette-cutdiamonds. It sold for $873,000 at the September 17 Important Jewelry sale inBoston against a presale estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. Skinner als...Read More

RAPAPORT... WD Lab Grown Diamonds has appointed jewelry-industry veteranSue Rechner CEO. She will be responsible for growing the brand and expandingthe company's market reach. Rechner, who held executive roles at Movado, FrederickGoldman, Citizen and Seiko, was most recently global president of outdoorfootwear and apparel brand Merrell. She will succeed founder Clive Hill, whowill continue to...Read More

The DMCC has unveiled the redesigned Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) in the Almas Tower. The DMCC says the redesigned trading floor is the largest in the world.The new facility has 41 tables, secured with cameras, state-of-the-art technology and specialist lighting and can host 200 buyers at once. Although it is designed for diamond trading, the old tinted windows have been replaced by white crystal...Read More

RAPAPORT... Diamcor Mining's rough-diamond sales fell 22% year on yearto $569,059 in the second fiscal quarter amid production of smaller,lower-quality stones. The company sold 3,760 carats, including a 20.66-caratgem-quality rough, for an average price of $151 per carat during the periodending September 30, it said last week. Although the volume of sales from its Krone-Endora at Venetia proj...Read More