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

Brazilian exports of pig iron totaled 187,026 tonnes in September this year, falling by 18.60% from 229,641 tonnes in the corresponding month in 2017, according to national foreign trade ministry MDIC.The main reason for the fall in exports was the reduced volume of deliveries to the United States.The North American country received 93,804 tonnes of Brazilian pig iron last month, down by 23.30% in...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for iron ore, pig iron, direct-reduced iron and other steelmaking raw materials. Latest transactions: iron oreIron oreGlobal Ore, 170,000 tonnes, 62% Fe Brazilian Blend fines, sold at...Read More

Seaborne iron ore prices went up on Wednesday October 17 amid bullish sentiment and a surge in the paper markets.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $73.36 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $1.86 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $72.39 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $1.86 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $78.75 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up by $2.05 per tonne.MB 58% Fe Premium Index: $61.4...Read More

The seaborne coking coal spot market strengthened on Wednesday October 17 after end users outside of China snapped up cargoes at higher prices.While a November-laycan cargo of a top Australian brand was sold to a southern Chinese mill at $216 per tonne cfr China, an East Asian steelmaker paid $225 per tonne fob Australia for a similar shipment during the day, according to various sources.A 50,000-...Read More

Arbitrage for copper, aluminium, zinc and nickel imported into China on Wednesday October 17*Copper -$112.17 (-778.14 yuan) Aluminium -$454.08 (-3,150.06 yuan) Zinc -$23.09 (-160.16 yuan) Nickel $242.03 (1,679.03 yuan) *Fastmarkets calculates the physical arbitrage for import into China daily by using SHFE front-month and LME three-month...Read More