EUROPEAN MORNING BRIEF 10/08: China threatens import taxes on US copper concentrate; Lithium-ion battery boom; US wire rod prices steady

By Anna Xu / August 10, 2018 / www.metalbulletin.com / Article Link

Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday August 10.

Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday August 10.

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly lower during morning trading on Friday August 10 amid a stronger dollar and ongoing trade tensions between China and the United States.

Check Metal Bulletin's live futures report here

LME snapshot at 0141 London time
Latest 3M  LME Prices
 Price ($/t) Change since yesterday's close ($)
Copper6,215.50-9.5
Aluminium2,085.507.5
Lead2,12113
Zinc2,607-7.5
Tin19555-15
Nickel13,91530


SHFE snapshot at 0941 Shanghai time
Most traded SHFE contracts
 Price (yuan/t) Change since yesterday's close (yuan)
Copper 49,930-20
Aluminium14,665-160
Zinc21,590-5
Lead18,365-85
Tin 145,980-1,030
Nickel 113,920-530


Changjiang spot snapshot on August 10
 Range (yuan/t) Change (yuan)
Copper 49,810-49,850310
Aluminium14,470-14,510-160
Zinc21,870-21,9200
Lead18,200-18,400-100
Tin 145,500-146,500-500
Nickel 113,700-115,400-100
Copper and brass scrap markets in the United States are in a state of flux, with market participants rapidly working to digest how China's 25% blanket tariff on imports of recycled copper from the US will affect domestic pricing.

China's threat to impose import taxes on US copper concentrates looms over the market for mined copper, leaving consumers and traders scrambling to swap cargoes scheduled for Chinese ports, sources directly involved in the trade told Metal Bulletin.

The electrification of vehicles and the need to store electricity generated by renewable energy sources - mainly solar and wind - point to huge demand for lithium-ion batteries. 

Prices for US domestic and imported wire rod remained steady despite softening prices for scrap, with sources expecting little change in the near term. 

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