Lead-zinc producer Recylex has started the hot commissioning phase of the new reduction furnace at its lead smelter at Nordenham in northern Germany, operated by Weser-Metall.The hot commissioning phase is used to test furnaces before they go into production mode, and is expected to last for a few weeks before ramping up to commercial levels of production in the third quarter of 2018, the...Read More

Katanga Mining has named Samuel Rasmussen its chief operating officer - he replaces Deon Garbers, who resigned last month.Rasmussen has significant copper processing and mining experience in large-scale open pit and underground operations, having served in various management roles for companies including Freeport-McMoRan in the Democratic...Read More

Juli??n Gonzalez has left his position as global head of refined zinc and lead trading at Trafigura, being replaced by Kyen Resources' European chief Matt Hadfield who will start next week, sources close to the company told Metal Bulletin. Gonzalez started in a junior-middle office role at Trafigura in 2009 and worked his way through the ranks to head up the key position. Hadfield will be re-...Read More

Comex copper prices bounced back from a one-year low in US morning trading on Monday July 9, with a softer dollar and equity recovery supporting the base metals complex. Copper for September settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange recovered 2.15 cents or 0.8% to $2.8455 per lb. Last week, the red metal traded at the lowest point since July 2017. "The outlook across the...Read More

Joe Raia has joined Chicago-based futures brokerage and clearing firm RJ O'Brien & Associates (RJO), as managing director of global commodity futures. Raia is responsible for building out RJO's energy and metals clearing and execution business globally in futures, options and cleared over-the-counter (OTC) products. This includes expanding the firm's breadth and expertise in a wide...Read More

Principal hot-rolled (HR) and cold-rolled (CR) steel sheet suppliers to Russia's central region, around Moscow, have again cut offers to spark sales. Metal Bulletin's weekly assessment of Russia-origin 4mm HR sheet prices to 42,800-42,980 roubles ($679-682) per tonne cpt Moscow on Monday July 9, including VAT, from 43,700-43,900 roubles a week before, considering the 1,000 roubles-per-tonne b...Read More

CIS export slab prices jumped by $15-20 per tonne over the week ended Monday July 9 with mills increasing their offers on August-rolling material, following the positive trend in the finished flat steel segment in recent weeks.Reduced global availability of slabs was another reason for the higher offer prices. This was itself a result of scheduled maintenance outages at some CIS mills in the third...Read More

Turkey's output of steel end-products increased by 10.50% year-on-year in January-May 2018, while consumption increased by 15.20%, according to data recently published by the Turkish Steel Producers' Assn (T???oeD).Turkish steel end-product output reached 17.40 million tonnes in the first five months of 2018, while consumption was 15.40 million tonnes.The country produced 10.70 million tonnes of l...Read More

The latest metal markets news and price moves to start the North American day on Monday July 9. Base metals on the London Metal Exchange were mostly higher during morning trading on Monday July 9, rebounding against positive US data last week and a broad recovery in global equity markets.Climbing 1.6%, copper's three-month price made the largest recovery after closing at its lowest point...Read More

Singapore rebar import prices dropped over the past week on weaker demand from end users.Buyers were staying on the sidelines, with many citing falling domestic and export prices as the key reasons for holding back."Given the falling prices in China, it would not be an ideal time for a buyer to secure any cargoes now," a major fabricator in Singapore said.Negotiation levels have dipped, with buyer...Read More

China's export prices for hot-rolled coil continued to drop on Monday July 9 with Chinese mills shifting their focus overseas following the yuan's recent depreciation, though the domestic market recovered some losses during the day.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,200-4,220 yuan ($632-635) per tonne, up 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,090-4,120 yuan per tonne, up 10-20 yuan per...Read More

Some strength emerged in the three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange on the morning of Monday July 9, with all of the metals posting gains that averaged 1% as at 7.06am London time. Volume has been above average with 10,063 lots traded. This follows a mixed performance on Friday, when nickel, lead, tin and copper prices dropped, while aluminium and zinc prices rallied. A large...Read More

Prices for ammonium paratungstate (APT) dropped in both China and Europe last week after some idled smelters in Jiangxi province restarted operations, coinciding with the start of the summer demand lull. Chinese, European APT prices under pressure  Partial APT production restarts in Jiangxi province  Spread between prompt and shipment APT prices narrows amid weak demand Metal Bulletin's...Read More

Turkish deep-sea scrap import prices went down slightly on Monday July 9 with the news of a Baltic Sea cargo being sold last week.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo comprising 12,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2 (95:5) at $360 per tonne cfr on Wednesday July 4.After the news of this deal was heard, the daily scrap indices slipped on...Read More

Turkish domestic auto bundle (DKP grade) scrap prices have strengthened with improving demand over the past week, while ship scrap prices have only shifted sideways, sources said on Monday July 9.Alloy long steel producer Asil ??elik raised its buy price by TRY50 ($11) per tonne to TRY1,680 ($367) per tonne delivered, while long and flat steel producer ??olakoglu increased its buy price for auto b...Read More

Physical iron ore prices for mainstream 62% Fe Australian fines saw modest gains on Monday July 9 following paper market increases.Metal Bulletin 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $63.92 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.08 per tonneMetal Bulletin 62% Fe Pilbara Blend fines Index: $62.61 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.39 per tonneMetal Bulletin 58% Fe Premium Index: $51.43 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.09 per tonn...Read More

The seaborne coking coal spot market saw a flurry of transactions on Monday July 9, though Chinese end-users remained on the sidelines. "We have decided to take our time because we have sufficient levels of inventory as of now. There is also some congestion at our port of discharge at the moment," a procurement source in northeast China said. He had submitted a firm bid for a cargo of premium mid-...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were higher this morning. S&P 500 futures were up 9 points in pre-opening trade.Canadian Pacific (CP $237.23 Cdn.) is expected to open higher after Raymond James upgraded the stock to a Strong Buy. Target price is $275 Cdn.Anadarko (APC $73.66) is expected to open higher after adding $1 billion to its share buyback program. The company also intends to reduce its debt...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 transaction: iron oreIron oreRio Tinto, tender, 170,000 tonnes of 61% Fe Pilbara Blend fines, sold at $61.60 per tonne cfr China, laycan July 30-August 8.Rio...Read More

Seaborne iron ore concentrates and pellet prices increased in the week ending Friday July 6 as high-grade and low-alumina products continued to be favored by the market. Iron ore concentratesThe weekly Metal Bulletin 66% Fe Concentrate Index was $97.15 per tonne cfr China on July 9, up by $2.83 per tonne - or 3% - from $94.32 per tonne cfr a week earlier. The daily Metal Bulletin 65% Fe...Read More