IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from May 20

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Monday May 20 that are worth another look.

Massive amounts of scrap metal are being held at Malaysian ports for unprecedented inspections and multiple copper cargoes still at sea are being diverted to other Asian countries at big discounts, sources told Fastmarkets.

The German federal government is planning to invest “billions of euros” to improve inland waterway transport in a move welcomed by German steel federation WV Stahl.

Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery will ramp up to full production capacity after the federal court in Belem, Brazil, ended the final production embargo on the facility under a criminal lawsuit on Monday May 20.

Brazilian miner Vale has taken preventive measures on fears of a possible rupture at its Sul Superior dam, which include the building of a containment structure and emergency training with nearby residents.

The London Metal Exchange has decided on a dispute over when the load-in, load-out rule should have been activated, ruling in favor of warehouse company Istim.

What to read next
The US aluminium industry is experiencing challenges related to tariffs, which have contributed to higher prices and premiums, raising questions about potential impacts on demand. Alcoa's CEO has noted that sustained high prices could affect the domestic market. While trade agreements might provide some relief, analysts expect premiums to remain elevated in the near term. However, aluminum demand is projected to grow over the long term, supported by the energy transition and clean energy projects. To meet this demand, the industry will need to increase production, restart idle smelters and address factors such as electricity costs and global competition.
Read Fastmarkets' monthly base metals market for May 2025 focusing on raw materials including copper, nickel aluminium, lead, zinc and tin.
The Mexico Metals Outlook 2025 conference explored challenges and opportunities in the steel, aluminum and scrap markets, focusing on tariffs, nearshoring, capacity growth and global trends.
China has launched a coordinated crackdown on the illegal export of strategic minerals under export control, such as antimony, gallium, germanium, tungsten and rare earths, the country’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday May 9.
Fastmarkets proposes to amend the frequency of Taiwan base metals prices from biweekly to monthly, and the delivery timing for the tin 99.99% ingot premium from two weeks to four weeks.
The US-China trade truce announced on May 12 has brought cautious optimism to China’s non-ferrous metals markets, signaling a possible shift in global trade. Starting May 14, the removal of additional tariffs has impacted sectors like battery raw materials, minor metals and base metals such as zinc and nickel, with mixed reactions. While the improved sentiment has lifted futures prices and trade activity, the long-term effects remain unclear due to challenges like supply-demand pressures and export controls.