French tube and pipe maker Vallourec said last week that it would not subsidise a takeover bid for its joint-venture Ascoval steel mill in France, which may now have to close.Ascoval said in March that it was searching for a new majority shareholder that would allow it to continue steelmaking operations beyond 2019, after Swiss special steels maker Schmolz & Bickenbach acquired Ascoval's majority...Read More
Brazilian flat steel producer Usiminas is analyzing whether to request an investigation into possible dumping of imported cold-rolled coil (CRC), chief executive officer Sergio Leite told Fastmarkets on Friday October 26.Steelmakers and other market participants in Brazil suspect that CRC and also coated steel imports, mainly from China, have entered the country at dumped prices. A potential compl...Read More
Vietnam's Southern Steel Sheet Co (SSSC) is targeting a larger share of the coated coil market by adding a third galvanizing line to its Nhon Trach operations in the country's Dong Nai province.Italian equipment supplier Tenova will supply the company - a joint venture of Vietnam Steel Corp, Japan's Sumitomo Corp and Malaysia's FIW Steel - with a galvanized coil line with capacity of 150,000 tonne...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices dropped on Monday October 29 amid weak demand, with trading activity being described as "very sparse." DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 4,150-4,170 yuan ($597-600) per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 4,080-4,090 yuan per tonne, narrowing downward by 10 yuan per tonneTrading today was very thin during the day, with traders in both the northe...Read More
The need for investment in new lithium projects creates a need for risk management tools, but the market's immaturity creates challenges, according to panelists at an LME focus session during this year's annual LME Week. Increasing demand for lithium compounds arising out of the electric vehicle and battery boom has created an appetite to bring new projects on stream, but there are risks associate...Read More
The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Tuesday October 30.Base metal prices on the London Metal Exchange were lower at the close of trading on Monday October 29, with strong consumer spending figures from the United States fueling broad strength in the US dollar index and adding downward pressure to the market. Read more in our live futures report.Here are how prices looked at t...Read More
Turkish steel producers have continued to book cargoes in the deep-sea scrap trade, with two more transactions coming to light, pushing prices up further on Monday October 29.These two deals were heard on Friday after the data submission deadline for the day.A steel mill in the Iskenderun region booked a Baltic Sea cargo comprising HMS 1&2 (80:20) at $335 per tonne, shredded at $340 per tonne and...Read More
Iron ore prices were largely steady on Monday October 29, with limited liquidity in the spot market amid expectations of a loosening of steelmaking restrictions in China.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $76.48 per tonne cfr Qingdao, unchanged.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $75.51 per tonne cfr Qingdao, unchanged.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $80.23 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down $0.17 per tonn...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 oreBeijing Iron Ore Trading Center (Corex), 20,000 tonnes of 61.82% Fe Pilbara...Read More
Sellers of seaborne coking coal appear to be less willing to sell to the Chinese market, with cargoes of premium products fetching a higher fob Australia price than cfr China ones.A November-laycan cargo of a top Australian brand was traded at $219.50 per tonne cfr China while a December-laycan shipment of the same product changed hands at $220 per tonne cfr China. The last transaction involving t...Read More
Seaborne iron ore pellet prices dipped for the third consecutive week on Friday October 26, on limited demand from China according to market participants.Fastmarkets' MB 65% Fe Iron Ore Pellet Index (MBIOI-PT) was $152.47 per tonne cfr China on Friday, down by $3.16 per tonne from a week earlier.The fall in the MBIOI-PT is based on the visible market activity detailed below.A 65% Fe Indi...Read More
China's ferrous futures fell during morning trading on Monday October 29 after the central Chinese government voiced its objection over what it considered to be indiscriminate restrictions to cut emissions.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange January rebar: 4,168 yuan ($600) per tonne, down 34 yuan per tonneJanuary hot rolled coil: 3,854 yuan per tonne, down 41 yuan p...Read More
A non-binding agreement between the Aluminum Corp of China (Chinalco) and Rio Tinto for the former to acquire the latter's entire stake in the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea has lapsed."Rio Tinto and Chinalco, who respectively own 45.05% and 39.95% of Simandou, will continue to work with the government of Guinea, in West Africa, to explore other options to realize value from the world-class S...Read More
Key data from the pricing sessions in London and Shanghai on Friday October 26.China Compared with last week, stockpiling activity among traders eased. In addition, domestic consumption was stable due to there being enough stock in the downstream secondary aluminium alloys sector. Spot export deals were rare, but market participants suggested that momentum would be regained when consumers started...Read More
Global antimony continued to trade last week amid weak demand for the metal, with prices remaining unchanged in both China and Europe on scarce spot market activity.In China, Fastmarkets MB's price assessment for Chinese Minor Metals Trade Association (MMTA) standard grade-II antimony price, delivered, duty-paid, was 51,000-51,500 yuan ($7,341-7,412) per tonne on Wednesday October 24, unchang...Read More
A lack of demand for imported cobalt material weighed on the Chinese domestic cobalt metal price last week, while the price for cobalt salts widened downward on lower offer prices in a weak market. Fastmarkets assessed the Chinese domestic cobalt metal price at 445,000-465,000 yuan per tonne ($25.07-26.20 per lb) on Friday October 26, down 2.2% from 450,000-480,000 yuan per tonne during the m...Read More
Bullish...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
LME aluminium prices back at levels...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 so...Read More
Aluminium LME aluminium prices remain under pressure after...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 dow...Read More
Week in review The LME 3M...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&#...Read More