Unwavering demand for refined copper, following China's ban of category 7 copper scrap imports, and tighter refined copper cathodes supply from overseas may lead to higher spot copper premiums cif Shanghai in the first half of 2019, Awin Resources' deputy general manager Danny Ju told Fastmarkets in a recent interview. The effect of several smelter disruptions in 2018 will be sustained into first...Read More

Comex copper prices eased lower in morning trading on Monday November 19 in the United States amid early warning signs of a continuing impasse between that country and China ahead of the meeting of the G20 developed nations later this month.The copper price for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped by 0.35 cents per lb to $2.7950 per lb.Despite the po...Read More

Disappointment that United States/China trade talks are not making progress has once again dampened sentiment in the London Metal Exchange's three-month base metals prices to the extent there has been little follow through to the strength seen at the end of last week.Nickel has taken the brunt of the disappointment this morning, Monday November 19, and is showing a drop of 1.1% to $11,265 per tonn...Read More

(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, acolumnist for Reuters.)By Clyde RussellLAUNCESTON, Australia, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Are themuch-lauded predictive capabilities of copper starting to showthat the divide between China and the United States on trade andinvestment, which was on full display at the weekend meeting ofAsia-Pacific leaders, no longer matters?The failure of leaders of th...Read More

Nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) 811 batteries are penetrating the electric vehicle (EV) battery market slowly, according to Wang Xiaoming, vice general manager for international sales and purchases at Beijing Easpring Material Technology Co.NCM 811 batteries, which have an 8:1:1 proportion of nickel, cobalt and manganese respectively, are among those striving to attain a dominant position in the EV...Read More

Chinese cobalt sulfate trade log including business, bids and offers reported to Fastmarkets MB.Unless otherwise stated, all prices are yuan per tonne on an ex-works basis. In addition, the cobalt sulfate, Co 20.5% min, China ex-works, adjustment to the low-grade cobalt low-end price at Co 20.5% basis is on a $ per lb basis. Fastmarkets MB prices Click here for Fastmarket MB's price...Read More

The market for hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel sheet in Russia's Central Federal District around Moscow has remained weak despite mill expectations of an improvement in demand after an explosion at Kazakhstan's ArcelorMittal Temirtau. ArcelorMittal Temirtau, which is is the largest supplier of imported flat steel products in Russia, partly suspended operations on Saturday November 10&nb...Read More

Export prices for flat steel products from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) moved lower in the week ended Monday November 19 because demand remained weak and the downtrend in China put pressure on the market."There was a possibility that the fall in prices would stop after the accident at Temirtau [ArcelorMittal's asset in Kazakhstan]," one trader from Russia told Fastmarkets. "But the...Read More

Import prices for steel slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia fell in the week to Monday November 19, on lower bids from suppliers and persistently low demand as a result of sluggish domestic hot-rolled coil sales.Fastmarkets MB's weekly import price assessment for slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia was $460-470 per tonne cfr on November 19, down $10 per tonne from a week earlier.Major Indon...Read More

Import prices for rebar in Singapore were lower over the past week on expectations of more supply hitting the market in the coming weeks.This is especially so for Chinese rebar, which is widely expected by market participants to be offered in more amounts in the near term as the domestic market softens.Fastmarkets MB's assessment of import prices for rebar in Southeast Asia - which mainly looks at...Read More

China's rebar prices kept moving lower in both the domestic and the export markets on Monday November 19 amid sparse trading. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 4,250-4,300 yuan ($613-620) per tonne, down 70 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Beijing): 4,030-4,080 yuan per tonne, down 100 yuan per tonneThe weekend billet losses and Monday's drop in futures prices pushed down spot rebar prices...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for rebar, wire rod, steel beams and other long steel products. Latest transaction: rebarRebar East China, domestic, grade...Read More

Turkish steel producers continued to hold back from the deep-sea scrap market on Monday November 19, because they expect more supplies from China to hit the market in the next few weeks.This is especially so for Chinese rebar, which is widely expected by market participants to be offered in increasing amounts in the near term while its domestic market softens."The price in China is falling....Read More

Turkish domestic scrap prices have softened over the past week with some mills reducing their buy prices because of high stock levels, sources said on Monday November 19.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic auto bundle (DKP grade) ferrous scrap was TRY1,650-1,940 ($309-363) per tonne delivered on Monday, widening downward from last week's TRY1,800-1,940 per tonne.This change in the as...Read More

Iron ore prices largely picked up on Monday November 19, apart from those for higher grades, leading to a further narrowing of the spread between 65% Fe and 62% Fe indices.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $76.11 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.80 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $75.30 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.19 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $79.80 per tonne cfr Qingdao,...Read More

CIS export slab prices continued to decline in the week ended Monday November 19, spurred by the weakening in the finished flat steel sectors both in the CIS and in the global markets, Southeast Asia in particular."Slab prices don't seem to have any upward momentum due to weak markets for hot-rolled coil [HRC] worldwide," a buyer source in East Asia said. "If the HRC [market] doesn't improve, re-r...Read More

CIS export billet prices continued to soften on Monday November 19 with lower bids and offers starting to be heard in the market, after the weakening of prices for imported scrap and exports of finished long steel in Turkey and the CIS.The downturn in the Asian billet market, amid lower offers and pessimism among buyers, created by the possibility of China's return to the export market, was anothe...Read More

Import prices for steel slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia fell in the week to Monday November 19, on lower bids from suppliers and persistently low demand as a result of sluggish domestic hot-rolled coil sales.Fastmarkets MB's weekly import price assessment for slab in Southeast Asia and East Asia was $460-470 per tonne cfr on November 19, down $10 per tonne from a week earlier.Major Indon...Read More

The Chinese ferro-silicon market was stable in the week ended Friday November 16, extending a steady trend in line with supply and demand, while the European price moved downward because the quiet market encouraged lower offer prices. China prices supported on stable fundamentals European prices fall amid quiet market US spot market inactive, focus remains on long-term contract negotiations.China...Read More

The Chinese ferro-silicon market was stable in the week ended Friday November 16, extending a steady trend in line with supply and demand, while the European price moved downward because the quiet market encouraged lower offer prices. China prices supported on stable fundamentals European prices fall amid quiet market US spot market inactive, focus remains on long-term contract negotiations.China...Read More