ASIAN MORNING BRIEF 10/10: Base metals mostly rebound on LME; Metals industry prepares for Brexit; Refined metal demand driving global copper premiums, Aurubis CEO says

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Wednesday October 10.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly higher at the close of trading on Tuesday October 9, supported by a marginal downturn in the dollar index, with nickel prices rocketing by more than 3%. Read more in our live futures report.

Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:

If Brexit – the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union on March 29, 2019 – isn’t on your radar, it should be.

Major annual copper premium increases are coming as a result of booming demand for refined metal, Aurubis chief executive Jürgen Schachler told Fastmarkets.

Fastmarkets has discontinued its weekly price assessment for Algeria rebar imports, expressed in euros per tonne cfr. There will be no price assessment on October 10.

Flat steel import prices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have been mostly stable over the past week, with demand being weak and buyers expecting prices to fall, sources told Fastmarkets on October 9.

The Turkish deep-sea scrap market was quiet on Tuesday October 9, with suppliers holding their offer prices steady, according to market participants.

Recent unfavorable developments in the Turkish economy – in the steel market in particular – caused by the aggravation of diplomatic relationships with the US has put pressure on steel producers in the Commonwealth of Independent States, both in terms of export volumes and prices.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has started a final review of anti-dumping measures imposed on stainless cold-rolled steel from China, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia, it said on October 3.

China’s domestic rebar price registered a small increase on Tuesday on higher futures and gains in the billet market.

What to read next
Half a million tonnes of copper is sitting in US warehouses, and the traders who put it there are starting to wonder whether they’ve built a hedge, or a trap.
European automotive procurement faces growing complexity due to regional cost volatility and policy-driven supply chains reshaping material pricing and sourcing strategies. This demands granular, region-specific market intelligence for precise cost modeling and strategic decision-making.
The assessment, which currently follows the UK holiday calendar, will follow the Singapore holiday calendar after the proposed change. There will be no change to the publication timing, and the assessment will continue to be published weekly on Wednesdays, at 7pm Singapore time. The purpose of the adjustment is to align the timing to the […]
JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku, Marubeni and Mitsubishi Materials(MMC) inked a deal to integrate MMC's copper concentrate procurement and related products sales business into Pan Pacific Copper (PPC), marking a significant consolidation of Japan's copper concentrate purchasing sector amid persistent pressure from weak treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs).
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments of the nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai, and the nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, cif Shanghai for Tuesday May 26 were delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated. The following prices were affected:MB-NI-0143 Nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai, […]
Copper producers, including Atlas Mining, reported higher earnings in the first quarter of 2026 on the back of elevated copper prices, while concentrate output declined at several operations in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines due to lower ore grades and disruptions, according to company results reviewed by Fastmarkets.