Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Monday September 6 that are worth another look.Continued low demand for aluminium in Japan, unchanged since August, has weighed on fourth-quarter negotiations for the main Japanese ports (MJP) aluminium premium, which started around August 24. Multiple sources reported on Monday September 6 that the first producer to extend the offer of $2...Read More
If any member was going to leave the London Metal Exchange ring trading floor, the exchange was probably hoping it wouldn't be Triland Metals Ltd.The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi, is one of the exchange's longest serving Category 1 members, having joined in 1972 after being founded in the prior year. Having a unit of Japan's largest trading company as a ri...Read More
Eight of the nine Category 1 members of the London Metal Exchange have indicated their support for continuing to trade official lunchtime prices in the open-outcry ring.Does this mean that one company does not support ring trading? And could one of the exchange's members be preparing to leave the trading floor?The exchange revealed on Monday August 9 that it had majority support for the ring, in a...Read More
London Metal Exchange ring dealing members have a decision to make - whether to remain one or not.The LME has just announced it will reopen the open outcry trading floor, which was temporarily closed due to Covid-19, on September 6.Its plan, however, comes with a twist; some ring dealers say, a knife.The official prices - which the global trade and industry use as the global reference for physical...Read More
High-carbon ferro-chrome output in Inner Mongolia, China's leading ferro-alloy producing region, has retreated in the first eight months of the year, while that in the rest of the country has risen, according to market sources.This comes amid a push by Chinese authorities to reduce emissions in energy-intensive industries, as part of the country's pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.Operat...Read More
Base-metals prices on the London Metal Exchange moved in different directions at the close of trading on Monday September 6, with aluminium continuing to reach new highs, while metals such as lead and tin ended the day on the back foot.Lead's three-month price was $2,275.00 per tonne on Monday at 5pm, dropping from last Friday's price of $2,310.50 per tonne.The metal reached a year-to-date peak of...Read More
Seaborne coking coal prices across the board in both fob and cfr markets jumped on Monday September 6 on sustained tight supply and good overseas demand, reaching new highs since Fastmarkets established its coking coal indices. And the ninth round of Chinese domestic coke price hikes since the start of August was fully executed.Fastmarkets indicesPremium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $450.61 per...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices fell on Monday September 6, due to Chinese authorities taking a stricter stance against steelmakers on steel production curbs and the start of sintering restrictions, sources said.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $132.38 per tonne, down $12.33 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $133.02 per tonne, down $12.28 per tonne58% Fe fines high-gra...Read More
Zinc producers in China's southwestern province of Yunnan should be able to fully resume their operations by mid-June, sources said.Yunnan will remove its power restrictions by the end of June that have stunted local zinc output, the provincial energy bureau said.A few zinc smelters in Yunnan have already resumed production, however, sources that spoke to Fastmarkets said.Production capa...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts is ready to view.As we approach the end of the first half of 2021, steel markets in Europe and the United States continue to heat up. This six-month period is largely unprecedented, with both steel prices and steelmakers' margins hitting a number of new record highs throughout.The rally is likely nearing its end, however, with global steel ou...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key North American steel forecast highlights:?EUR? US sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum persisting into June. Actual US hot-rolled coil prices averaged $1,553 per ton in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,540 per ton. Prices remain supported by strong underlying sup...Read More
The Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ), fell to lows near $43.06 recently, which matched the low from the end of March 2021, near $43.24.Although these lows are not exactly the same, the span of time between these unique lows and the very close nature of them makes them a Double Bottom setup.It is very likely that this support level will prompt a new upside price rally in Junior Miners targeting $50 to...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.United States sheet prices hit record highs again in May, with upward momentum carrying into June. Actual US HRC prices averaged $1,712 per tonne in May, largely in line with our forecast of $1,698 per tonne. Strong underlying supply-and-demand conditions both in the US and globally are supporting prices as well as long lead...Read More
The Fed acknowledged the economy’s progress, but it’s still not “substantial progress.” In short, Powell merely slowed the hand of the tapering clock.Last week (July 28, 2021), the FOMC published its newest statement on monetary policy. The publication was barely altered. The Fed noted that the US economy has continued to strengthen, although the sectors most heavily hit by...Read More
Silver prices are up, but will silver outperform gold this year? Despite its dismal performance, silver remains the precious metals to watch. It could...by David Morgan of The Morgan ReportSilver prices are up, but will silver outperform gold this year?Despite its dismal performance, silver remains the precious metals to watch. It could outperform gold as the global economy starts to falter.Watch...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Global welded pipe prices surged in May as strong demand and still-insufficient supply lifted flat steel prices.The biggest jumps were seen in China, which was hit by the unexpected announcement of the elimination of export rebates on welded pipes in April. Chinese seaborne prices reached $1,570 per tonne fob for longitudina...Read More
There's no such thing as an excuse, but since pathetic people dish out excuses non-stop, here are a few to be on the lookout for in the silver "market"...(by Half Dollar) Everybody is so certain we've seen the bottom in silver.Of course, everybody knows 'Ol Half Dollar's call, and in part, the more I see so called silver "advocates" turning into Worthless Penny Stock Pumpers and other Rigged Casin...Read More
Sometimes fantasy becomes reality. At other times, a dose of reality will temper fantasies of outsized and unjustified proportion.Some silver investors and analysts could use a dose of reality. Below is a chart of silver prices dating back to 1915… Silver Prices – 100 Year Historical ChartSILVER PRICE HISTORY In November 1919 the price of silver was $1.13 oz. From that po...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.This month's key ferro-alloy forecast highlights:Bulk and noble alloys both moved largely in line with our price forecasts globally over the past month, though several markets surprised to the upside, exceeding our forecast gains. Stronger-than-forecast pricing momentum was primarily triggered by supply shortages in numerous...Read More
The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets' team of analysts are ready to view.Bulk ferro-alloy prices have shown impressive gains again this month, with ferro-silicon, silicon metal and manganese alloy prices all making significant increases. Noble alloy markets also enjoyed upward momentum, with both vanadium and molybdenum prices rising sharply.Recovering demand from steelmakers globally, together w...Read More