Base metal prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly lower during Asian morning trading on Tuesday amid a risk-off tone in financial markets ahead of the United States Federal Open Market Committee’s monetary policy meeting on Wednesday.
Check Metal Bulletin’s live futures report here.
| LME snapshot at 02:17am London time | ||
| Latest three-month LME Prices | ||
| Price ($ per tonne) | Change since previous session’s close ($) | |
| Copper | 6,839.50 | -14.5 |
| Aluminium | 2,089 | 1 |
| Lead | 2,362 | -5 |
| Zinc | 3,237 | -24 |
| Tin | N/A | N/A |
| Nickel | 13,520 | 40 |
| SHFE snapshot at 10:17am Shanghai time | ||
| Most-traded SHFE contracts | ||
| Price (yuan per tonne) | Change since previous session’s close (yuan) | |
| Copper (May) | 51,330 | -90 |
| Aluminium (May) | 14,010 | 50 |
| Zinc (May) | 24,740 | -65 |
| Lead (May) | 18,330 | -15 |
| Tin (May) | 144,090 | -760 |
| Nickel (July) | 102,180 | 10 |
Canada’s steel industry participants worry that the Section 232 tariff in the US will cause foreign material previously bound for the US to be diverted into their country, but so far the Canadian producers have stopped short of calling for equivalent tariffs.
Tensions are building in the manganese market with ore consumers protesting a four-month price rally that has left them effectively boycotting the market for their raw material.
Aluminium sheet shipments by North American producers rose year on year in February, coinciding with a tightening in trade policy by the US.
Brazilian crude steel output increased by 5.50% year on year in February, according to figures released by national steel institute Aço Brasil on Monday.
The United Kingdom’s Liberty Recycling, part of Liberty House Group, has chosen the southeastern United States as a starting point to grow its footprint in the US scrap industry, acquiring full ownership of Florida recycler and exporter Export Metals LLC.
