Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Monday October 15.Most base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were little changed to weaker during Asian morning trading on Monday, with a resurgent dollar putting downward pressure on the complex. Lead was the lone metal to record any price gains.The dollar index, at 95.33 as at...Read More
The prices of base metals on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower day-on-day at the close of trading on Monday October 15, with a softer US dollar having little effect on prices but trade tensions and weak stock markets keeping investors cautious.The three-month lead price rose by 1.6% over the afternoon to reach an intraday high of $2,116 per tonne, its highest level since September 4.Whil...Read More
Comex copper prices rose to a multi-week high in morning trading on Monday October 15 amid a weaker dollar and optimism from LME Week in London last week. The copper price for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 3.00 cents to $2.83 per lb - the highest since October 4. While the rest of the complex...Read More
Seaborne iron ore prices were rangebound amid a quiet market on Monday October 15 with uncertainties emerging over steelmaking restrictions in east China.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $71.66 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down by $0.01 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $70.69 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down by $0.01 per tonne.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $76.34 per tonne cfr Qingdao, down by...Read More
NEW DELHI, Oct 15 (Reuters) - India's September trade deficit hit its lowest level in five months at $13.98 billion, the country's trade ministry said in a statement on Monday.The figure is despite a rising oil import bill for India, the world's third-biggest crude importer, amid concerns that U.S. sanctions against Iran next month would remove a substantial volume of crude oil from the world mark...Read More
* Tensions mount over disappearance of Saudi journalist* IEA cuts forecasts for oil consumption and demand for OPEC crude* Gasoline crack spread at weakest since February 2017 (Updates with settlement prices, adds commentary)By Stephanie KellyNEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Oil prices steadied on Monday, supported by geopolitical tension over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist that has stoked wo...Read More
* Tensions mount over disappearance of Saudi journalist* IEA cuts forecasts for oil consumption and demand for OPEC crude* SocGen raises Brent forecast for fourth quarter (Updates throughout, changes dateline from BEIJING)By Christopher JohnsonLONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Crude oil futures rose on Monday as geopolitical tensions over the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist stoked supply wo...Read More
Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessments for the CIS export steel market will not be published on October 15 because of a public holiday in Ukraine. Instead, the prices will be published on October 16, 2018. The prices affected are:CIS export cold rolled coil $ per tonne fob Black SeaCIS export hot rolled coil $ per tonne fob Black SeaCIS export heavy plate (10-50mm) $ per tonne fob Black SeaCIS...Read More
The Chinese silicon export price moved up following a series of domestic ex-works deals since mid-September, while in the US the price fell for the seventh consecutive month.The Chinese grade 553 silicon export price was assessed at $1,660-1,730 per tonne on Friday October 12, up 0.6% from $1,650-1,720 per tonne previously. Domestic Chinese ex-works prices have been rising since mid-September, whi...Read More
Oct 15 (Reuters) - Below are the ratings awarded by Credit Analysis and Research Ltd. (CARE) for local debt instruments as of October 12, 2018. COMPANYINSTRUMENTRATINGAMOUNT MOVEMENT(RS.MLN) ------------------------------ --------- SHORT TERM RATINGS: ------------------- Ambey Mining Pvt LtdST Bk FacCARE A12750Reaffirmed (enhanced from 200.0 Crore) B.G. Shirke Construction Technology PvCP-Proposed...Read More
Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) rose to their highest in a year as the market gathered in London for LME Week.The Fastmarkets copper concentrate TC/RC index came in at $89 per tonne / 8.9 cents per lb on Monday October 15, a gain of $2.60 / 0.26 cents week on week to the index's highest level since October last year.Spot copper concentrates trading has been limited, with...Read More
The fate of the Tuticorin copper smelter in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will be decided at the end of November because more time is required to investigate the allegedly polluting project, local media reported on Monday October 15.The Times of India reported that a panel formed by the National Green Tribunal, India's environmental safeguarding body, wanted to listen to more views from...Read More
The London Metal Exchange's published charge caps for the 2019-20 period specify increased free-on-truck (fot) rates for Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, the exchange said in a note to members on Monday October 15. While the original fees - which came into effect on April 1, 2017 - were expected to be frozen until 2022, the LME has readdressed its rates after a period of participan...Read More
Continued uncertainty about spreads, tariffs and the viability of trade with UC Rusal have pushed participants in the European aluminium market into taking a cautious stance when negotiating next year's long-term deals.They expect premiums next year to be unpredictable, with record-low aluminium stocks likely to cause intermittent backwardations throughout the year.As a result, market participants...Read More
Comex copper prices rose to a multi-week high in morning trading on Monday October 15 amid a weaker dollar and optimism from LME Week in London last week. The copper price for December settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 3.00 cents to $2.83 per lb - the highest since October 4. While the rest of the complex...Read More
Aqua Metals has overcome the technical hurdles of scaling up to commercial production volumes and has begun production of lead ingots at its recycling facility in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Complex, in the US state of Nevada.The company, which is based in Alameda, California, has made significant progress toward steady-state module utilization. It will now be able to send material to its customers...Read More
Steel plate prices have remained stable in the United States despite continued weakness in sheet pricing.Fastmarkets AMM's price assessment for cut-to-length plate was at $48 per hundred ($960 per short ton) on Friday October 12, unchanged compared with the previous week.Lead times average eight weeks at mills with spot tons available, market participants said."Plate is a pain now. It's tighter th...Read More
Increasing raw material costs have driven special bar quality (SBQ) prices up by $1 per hundredweight ($20 per short ton) across all grades, with market participants reporting lead times for hot-rolled bar that extend into early February 2019.Fastmarkets AMM's price assessment for 1-inch round 1000 series (Carbon) hot-rolled bar was at $46 per cwt on Friday October 12, up from $45 p...Read More
Slab export prices from Brazil edged up late last week as producers waited for sales to the United States to resume.Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for slab exports from Brazil was $490-510 per tonne fob on Friday October 12 compared with $480-500 per tonne fob on October 5.Brazilian producers are willing to sell to markets outside North America, such as Europe and Asia, at...Read More
Fastmarkets' weekly price assessments for the Russian domestic steel market will not be published on October 15, 2018, because of a public holiday affecting the regional office whose staff compile the assessments.Instead, the prices will be published on October 16, 2018.The assessments affected are the Russian domestic prices...Read More