ASIAN MORNING BRIEF 25/09: LME base metals mostly decline; Tuticorin smelter closure supported by committee; ICBC hires for base metals team

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Tuesday September 25.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower at the close of trading on Monday September 24, broadly capped by weakening investor sentiment after another round tariffs were imposed by the United States against some $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Read more in our live futures report.

Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:

An investigation committee deciding the fate of the 400,000-tonne-per-year Tuticorin copper smelter said the majority of representatives supported the Indian smelter’s closure, according to local media reports on Sunday September 23.

ICBC Standard Bank has appointed Adam Brake and Evan Richards to develop the bank’s base metals trading arm, it said on September 24.

Cobalt prices made steady gains in the spot market last week, supported by a continuous stream of post-summer consumer purchases.

Kyen Resources founder and managing director Victor Kuo has left the Singapore-based trading house, sources with knowledge of the matter told Metal Bulletin.

Traders are expecting prices for hot-rolled and cold-rolled steel sheet in Russia’s Central Federal District around Moscow to decline in October due to a weak export market, rouble revaluation and lower demand.

The steel rebar market in Russia’s Central Federal District, the country’s major steel-consuming region, has started to show signs of softening due to lower demand from end-users.

What to read next
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0346 Aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam, $/tonne that was published incorrectly on Thursday January 29.
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0299 aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp Spain that was published incorrectly on Friday January 23.
Learn about the recent trends in AI metals costs and their effect on lithium, copper and aluminium prices for energy storage.
Following a consultation period, which closed on January 14, Fastmarkets will increase the frequency of its MB-BX-0016 Bauxite, cif China, price assessment to a weekly basis, from a monthly basis. Fastmarkets will also extend the timing of the price to include cargoes for arrival within 90 days and move the publishing time to 7pm Shanghai time on Friday. […]
European aluminium scrap and secondary ingot prices are on the rise, driven by a significant shortage of scrap. Trade sources indicate that low generation has constrained domestic supply, and this is happening even before the expected EU scrap export restrictions in Spring 2026.
The capacity to smelt an additional volume of more than 800,000 tonnes per year of copper was advancing toward production readiness, Fastmarkets heard on Monday January 19.