A United States senator has introduced bipartisan legislation in the country's senior legislative body, the Senate, that would allow more oversight of price reporting and price-setting entities that operate in the aluminium markets.The legislation was promoted by Cory Gardner, a Republican Party member from the state of Colorado. It builds on a bill introduced into the lower House of Representativ...Read More

Comex copper prices were slightly higher in morning trading on Wednesday October 17 with a rising dollar preventing any significant gain.The copper price for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 0.60 cents to $2.7855 per lb. "We are seeing very quiet conditions in metals so far this week; yesterday ended in a mixed...Read More

Tin premiums were flat across the board in the week to Tuesday October 16, even with the threat of restricted supply from major tin producer Indonesia hanging over the market. European premiums steady at 19-month low  US premiums move sideways in slow market  China premiums flat amid weak smelter demand European premiums hold ground despite production threat The premium for 99.9% s...Read More

Alcoa intends to shut down its Spanish aluminium smelting operations at La Coru??a and Avil?(C)s, citing the plants as being the least productive within the Alcoa system due to structural issues. The two plants have a combined production of 180,000 tonnes per year - producing primary aluminium, billet and slabs. La Coru??a and Avil?(C)s also have a combined idle capacity of 53,000 tpy. "Structural...Read More

The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Wednesday October 17.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher during morning trading, with aluminium shrugging off another huge delivery into LME-listed warehouses.Over 92,000 tonnes of aluminium was delivered into warehouses in Asia this morning - with the majority arriving in Port Klang.&nb...Read More

Several zinc and lead mining and smelting companies have been targeted for secondary sanctions by the United States Treasury over alleged ties to paramilitary organizations. Companies including Bandar Abbas Zinc Production Co, Calcimin, Iran Zinc Mines Development Co and Qeshm Zinc Smelting and Reduction Co - all producers of zinc concentrates and ingots - have been targeted. These organizations a...Read More

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Thursday October 18.Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly trading lower at the close on Wednesday October 17, with sentiment in the market weakening although zinc continued to outperform. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:Concerns are mounting over the potential hal...Read More

Turkey's Tosyali Holding is to invest in the construction of a rebar and wire rod mill in Senegal, in western Africa.Tosyali signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Senegal's ministry of mines and geology during the second Turkey-Africa Economic & Business Forum in Istanbul on Wednesday October 10.Once a location is decided, Tosyali will lay the foundations for the plant by the end of 2018...Read More

The number of new passenger car registrations in the EU dropped massively in September 2018, going down by 23.53% year-on-year.New car sales in Europe totaled 1,091,220 units in September, compared with 1,427,013 vehicles sold in the corresponding month of 2017, the European Automotive Manufacturers Assn (ACEA) said on Wednesday October 17."This [drop in sales] should not come as a surprise, becau...Read More

European prices for mesh-quality wire rod were flat across the Northern and Southern parts of the continent on Wednesday October 17, with buyers still unwilling to commit to large-volume deals.Fastmarkets' weekly domestic price assessments for mesh-quality wire rod in both Southern and Northern Europe were ?,?535-560 ($620-648) per tonne delivered on Wednesday. Both assessments were unchanged week...Read More

The price for rebar produced and delivered in Southern Europe slipped downward on Wednesday October 17, with buyers uncertain and few deliveries of any substantial size being sought.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Southern Europe fell to ?,?520-545 (602-631) per tonne per tonne delivered on Wednesday, from ?,?530-545 per tonne a week ago.While uncertainty is keeping many...Read More

Prices for domestic hollow steel sections in Europe narrowed upward this week, while announced price increases from mills were viewed with skepticism, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday October 17. Fastmarkets' domestic price assessment for commodity-size, grade-S235 square hollow sections made in Northern Europe rose on the low end of the range to ?,?660-670 ($764-776) per tonne de...Read More

Prices for rebar produced and delivered in Northern Europe remained stable over the week ended Wednesday October 17, with buyers unwilling to commit to purchases beyond the very short term at a time of high uncertainty.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Northern Europe stayed at ?,?550-570 ($637-660) per tonne on October 17, with almost no new deals reported.There were reas...Read More

The following Fastmarkets noble alloys and ores prices changed on Wednesday October 17:Noble alloys Molybdenum Europe drummed molybdic oxide, $/lb: $11.90-12.00 per lb from $12.00-12.15 Ferro-molybdenum basis 65% min, in-warehouse Rotterdam, $/kg...Read More

The following Fastmarkets minor metals prices changed on Wednesday October 17:Antimony MB free market regulus, $/tonne: $8,150-8,500 per tonne from $8,400-8,600Antimony MMTA standard grade II, $/tonne: $8,150-8,450 per tonne from $8,400-8,600Antimony MB Chinese free market MMTA standard grade II, yuan/tonne: 51,000-51,500 yuan per...Read More

Key data from the Wednesday October 17 pricing session in Europe. Key drivers  The European ferro-titanium price range dropped again, extending price losses from the previous week on persistently low demand, which is encouraging cheaper offer prices. Some dealers are away due to holidays in Europe, which has cooled trading activity.  Reported trades...Read More

Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Wednesday October 17.Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly up during Asian morning trading on Wednesday after sentiment improved following strong gains in global equity markets.Check Metal Bulletin's live futures report here.Weakness was felt in aluminium premiums ar...Read More

Ferrous scrap dock buying prices on the US East Coast weakened further despite the lack of fresh bulk sales, with the downward trend that started a week ago trickling into another export region, according to market sources.No cargoes were sold from either US coast over the past week, leaving bulk prices flat yet again. But - similar to the declines seen in Boston last week - some market participan...Read More

The stainless steel scrap market in the United States remains weak, with prices pressured by rising inventories at scrapyards, prompting some dealers to turn to the export market."Consumer melt schedules remain strong, but they just do not need much scrap right now," one major US processor source said."The export market has strengthened, with prices stronger in India, and Rotterdam has reported be...Read More

Domestic prices for ferrous scrap in Italy have been largely unchanged over the past month due to a good balance of supply and demand, sources told Fastmarkets this week.Fastmarkets' monthly price assessment for domestic grade E3 scrap in Italy remained at ?,?275-285 ($318-330) per tonne delivered on Thursday October 17, compared with ?,?270-290 per tonne delivered in September."The Italian scrap....Read More