Import prices for steel billet in Southeast Asia edged up over the past week while those for slab in the wider region including East Asia experienced sharp gains amid limited offers.Metal Bulletin's assessment of import prices for billet in Southeast Asia was $540-555 per tonne cfr for the week ended Monday February 26, up $5 per tonne from a week earlier.Prices increased after trading activity pi...Read More
Handan, a major steel-producing city in north China's Hebei province, will step up its steelmaking curbs by cutting production by 50-55% until the end of March, according to an official notice from its local government late on Monday February 26. The city, which is among 28 in the country's northern region that are limiting production at 50% of capacity during the winter heating season, which ends...Read More
RAPAPORT... Polished-diamond shipments out of India increased in January,according to data from the nation's Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council(GJEPC). Polished exports climbed 29% year on year to $2.08 billionand, by volume, rose 20% to 2.7 million carats. The average price grew 7% to$766 per carat. Polished imports dropped 21% to $136 million, while netpolished exports - the excess of...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Sarine Technologies Ltd recorded revenues of $12.9 million in Q4 2017 ended 31 December, an improvement of 15% over Q3 2017. The increase was mainly attributed to higher sales of diamond manufacturing related capital equipment as business sentiment in the diamond manufacturing sector improved somewhat towards the very end of 2017. With higher revenues and lower opera...Read More
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - New South African Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has received a resounding welcome from the Chamber of Mines of South Africa, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and mining luminaries.In its welcoming release, the chamber described Mantashe, 62, as a man of integrity and dignity.Advertisement"He is a person with whom our industry has long held...Read More
RAPAPORT... Thailand's gem and jewelry exports climbed2% to almost $13 billion in 2017, excluding gold, Commerce Minister SontiratSontijirawong said in his opening address at the Bangkok Gems & JewelryFair last week.An improving economic outlook in keymarkets for Thai-manufactured jewelry, such as the US, provides optimism forcontinuing growth in the country's gem exports, according to governm...Read More
(IDEX Online) - IGI India is to issue reports for uncut, unpolished diamonds, which are typically seen in traditional Indian bridal jewelry styles such as Jadau. The lab said its IGI India's latest offering fills an important gap in jewelry certification services. "By evaluating this particular type of diamond, IGI India can attest to the stone's authenticity and provide confidence...Read More
RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished-diamond exports increased in January,according to data from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). Polished exports jumped 29% year on year to $813.4 millionand, by volume, rose 21% to 352.1 million carats. The average price grew 6% to$2,310 per carat.Polished exports to the US surged 48% to $275.4 million, while shipments to Hong Kong soared 95% to $144 million. T...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close on Tuesday February 27, with the dollar index surging to its highest since the start of the month. The three-month copper price closed 1.2% lower and only just held above $7,000 per tonne. Copper's healthy contango and a lack of market tightness are putting pressure on prices. "We think that copper prices are vulnerable...Read More
RAPAPORT... US polished-diamond trading slowed last year, according to government data. Polished imports dropped 6% to $21.62 billion and, by volume, slid 9% to9.8 million carats. The average price increased 4% to$2,205 per carat. Polished exports fell 4% to $18.02 billion, while netpolished imports - the excess of imports over exports -slipped 14% to $3.61 billion. Rough imports for the year were...Read More
Tungsten miner W Resources has agreed offtakes for tungsten concentrate produced at its La Parrilla mine in Spain. From early 2019, W Resources will supply 66% WO3 tungsten concentrate to Wolfram Bergbau und H? 1/4 tten and a "leading supplier to the USA tungsten markets," W Resources said. The offtake agreements will account for around 80% of output from the T2 production phase at La Parrilla, an...Read More
RAPAPORT... Revenue from the retail division of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway slipped0.2% to $15.06 billion last year, the company reported Saturday.The decline in the segment, which includes jewelry chains Borsheims, Helzberg Diamonds and Ben Bridge Jeweler, stemmed primarily from the automotive sector. Excluding the car business, retail sales - including at those jewelers - increased 1.7%....Read More
The import markets for flat steel products in South American countries were very muted this month because of the Chinese new year holiday, which took place February 15-21.The lack of trading has prevented import values from showing any major changes in the past few weeks, but prices are expected to rise in late February/early March with the arrival of fresh China-origin offers in the market.The la...Read More
Looking...ACCESS RESTRICTEDTo read the rest of this analysis please take a free sample or subscribeFREE SampleReceive a free sample of market analysis and price forecasts.Free SampleSUBSCRIBEReceive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts.Plus download the latest issue as soon as it’s published.Su...Read More
Turkish scrap import prices continued to climb on Tuesday February 27 with news of another Baltic Sea cargo sold at the end of last week.Market participants, however, expected prices to go up even further, while suppliers have already increased their offers, Metal Bulletin was told.A steel mill in the Izmir region booked the Baltic Sea cargo late on February 23, comprising 28,000 tonnes of HMS 1&2...Read More
Stocks, dollar trumped Section 232 last...ACCESS RESTRICTEDTo read the rest of this analysis please take a free sample or subscribeFREE SampleReceive a free sample of market analysis and price forecasts.Free SampleSUBSCRIBEReceive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts.Plus download the latest issue a...Read More
Aluminium Aluminium has been on the defensive after support from...ACCESS RESTRICTEDTo read the rest of this analysis please take a free sample or subscribeFREE SampleReceive a free sample of market analysis and price forecasts.Free SampleSUBSCRIBEReceive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts.Plus do...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 7 points in pre-opening comments. Investors are awaiting Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's testimony on monetary policy to be made at 10:00 AM EST.Index futures moved lower following release of economic news released at 8:30 AM EST. Chairman Powell's initial comments were released. In addition, the January Dura...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 27 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures saw mixed trading on Tuesday February 27 with SHFE nickel leading the gain with 1% rise. SHFE lead was up close to 1% while tin and zinc inched up. Copper and aluminium were down slightly.The ferrous complex recovered some lost ground in the afternoon with iron ore closing 0.64% lower. Hot-rolled coil was up over 1% while coking coal, coke a...Read More
SHANGHAI, Feb 27 (SMM) – Nonferrous metals futures saw mixed trading on Tuesday February 27 with SHFE nickel leading the gain with 1% rise. SHFE lead was up close to 1% while tin and zinc inched up. Copper and aluminium were down slightly.The ferrous complex recovered some lost ground in the afternoon with iron ore closing 0.64% lower. Hot-rolled coil was up over 1% while coking coal, coke a...Read More