China's domestic rebar prices held steady on Tuesday August 6, but export prices for the long steel product fell as a result of a weaker yuan. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,770-3,800 yuan ($538-542) per tonne, unchangedNorthern China (Beijing): 3,730-3,760 yuan per tonne, unchangedTraders kept prices flat during the day to see how the futures market develops.Sellers would not have been able...Read More
Observers of the copper market are looking at a trend that started in 2001 to determine where the market could find support after five days of successive selling took the price to two-year lows by Monday August 5.At $5,665 per tonne, the London Metal Exchange's benchmark three-month copper futures contract was down by 5.9% since Tuesday last week, having sold off again on Monday amid a worsening d...Read More
Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were collectively higher during morning trading on Tuesday August 6, with lead futures leading the way with a 1.4% uptick.Pressuring the lead price lower in recent weeks, fresh inflows of just under 30,000 tonnes staggered across July 30-August 2 led the commodity to shed around 6% of its price and slip below the $2,000-per-tonne support...Read More
Hong Kong Exchange (HKEX) introduced six new dollar-dominated base metals mini contracts on Monday August 5 to provide more convenient arbitrage or hedging tools and a lower trading threshold for investors globally.The aluminium, zinc, copper, nickel, tin and lead contracts are cash-settled against the LME closing price of the third Wednesday of the spot month and trade on a monthly basis. There w...Read More
Aluminium premiums in Rotterdam and throughout Europe remained resilient through July, driven by tighter supplies in the region and favorable spreads on the London Metal Exchange.Fastmarkets assessed the aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam, which is the region's benchmark, at a one-year high of $95-105 per tonne on Monday August 5. The premium, which rose to its current level on July 22...Read More
Merafe Resources' earnings fell by 45% in in the first half of the year due to lower chrome ore and ferro-chrome prices, it said.The South African chrome producer, which runs a joint venture with trader-miner Glencore, reported earnings before interest tax, interest, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) of 435.1 million rand ($29.44 million) for the first six months of this year, down from 796.3...Read More
Ferro-chrome production cuts are likely due to today's low pricing environment, prompting a rebound in the market when supply surpluses shrink, Merafe Resources said on Monday August 5. The South African chrome producer, which runs a joint venture project with trader-miner Glencore, said price and exchange rate volatility are expected to continue to affect the market while global uncertainty will...Read More
Chinese imports of manganese ore totaled 15.7 million tonnes in the first six months of 2019, up by 27.8% from around 12.3 million tonnes in the corresponding period of 2018, according to official but unconfirmed data seen by Fastmarkets. In June, China imported about 2.03 million tonnes of manganese ore, marking an increase of around 3% from 1.97 million tonnes last June, despite being down by 39...Read More
The Chinese ferro-silicon market was unmoved over the past week, but is expected to weaken in line with soft consumer buying interest and futures prices. In Europe, spot ferro-silicon prices have pared losses against tighter availability, although the bounce may be limited given subdued buying interest from steelmakers. Chinese market prepares for price losses while steelmakers show resistance to...Read More
We have long held the view that there is a race against time between the trade disputes tipping the global economy toward recession and a trade deal spurring growth while businesses restock as their confidence recovers. For now, the slip toward recession seems to be winning. Equities in Asia were mixed on Wednesday August 7 after a mixed performance in western markets on Tuesday, but more central...Read More
U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 11 points in pre-opening trade. Walt Disney dropped $5.86 to $136.01 after reporting lower than consensus fiscal third quarter earnings. Weight Watchers (WW $21.01) is expected to open higher after reporting higher than consensus second quarter earnings. The company also raised guidance. CVS Health advanced $2.41 to $...Read More
The three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange continued its downtrend over Monday August 5, closing below the nearby $5,700-per-tonne support level to reach its lowest settlement since June 2017, while nickel futures near $15,000 per tonne. Nickel continued to trade down over the day, closing at $5,685 per tonne after slipping to an intraday low of $5,640 per tonne this morning and fai...Read More
Tin's three-month price on the London Metal Exchange declined during morning trading on Monday August 5, maintaining its downward price action while nickel futures traded higher.Reaching an intra-morning low of $16,800 per tonne from a high of $17,025 per tonne, tin's futures price is down by some 1.3% on the day with just over 60 lots traded as of 9:05am London time. Selling pressure began t...Read More
Sentiment in financial markets continues to weaken following last week's collapse of US-China trade talks and US president Donald Trump's latest threat of tariffs on Chinese goods.Equities in Asia tumbled this morning, Monday August 5, and the yuan has dropped below seven to the dollar - the first time since 2008. Weakness in Asian currencies suggests wide-scale market unease. Gold price reaches a...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia and Europe for the week ended Friday August 2.ChinaKey drivers The Chinese silicon export market continued to remain stable week on week for the third consecutive week. The supply tightness and a sign of increased demand in the domestic market, amid resumed buying activity for August delivery from the secondary aluminum sector, have encouraged exporters t...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in Asia and Europe for the week ended August 2. ChinaKey drivers The price of antimony MMTA standard-grade II, ddp China, remained flat week on week due to sparse trading activity. Domestic antimony suppliers remained resolute in holding their offer prices firm, citing limited ore material at hand.Some domestic antimony consumers chose to sit on the sidelines aft...Read More
Turkish steel producers have not made any deep-sea bookings at the start of this week because of soft demand for finished long steel, sources said on Monday August 5.After the mills booked several deep-sea cargoes in the week ending July 26, they have backed out of the market."The mills in Turkey want to sell some [rebar] before resuming their...Read More
Domestic scrap prices in the Turkish market fell slightly over the past week due to weak demand for finished steel, sources said on Monday August 5.Several steel mills in the Izmir region reduced their buy prices for auto bundle scrap by around 20-55 Turkish lira ($4-10) per tonne over the past week.Long steel mill...Read More
Aluminium alloys from China will be subject to at least 20% in tariffs by September while for hundreds of steel products it will be at least 35% if the latest round of tariffs threatened against China take effect, sources indicated to Fastmarkets.That is because the new tariffs US President Donald Trump signaled against China will be on top of the Section 232 tariffs under an earlier act that cove...Read More
Sentiment in financial markets continues to weaken following last week's collapse of US-China trade talks and US president Donald Trump's latest threat of tariffs on Chinese goods.Equities in Asia tumbled this morning, Monday August 5, and the yuan has dropped below seven to the dollar - the first time since 2008. Weakness in Asian currencies suggests wide-scale market unease. Gold price reaches a...Read More