IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from October 18

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday October 18 that are worth another look.

Global scrap prices in all the major markets recovered during the working week ended October 18, boosted by lower material availability and rising Turkish import prices.

An increase in copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) so far this month reflects a drop in the number of spot deals ahead of annual contract negotiations that are set to start during the annual London Metal Exchange Week gathering.

Import prices for hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil (HRC, CRC) into South America have fallen in the week ended October 18, with producers from many regions competing for clients.

China’s domestic spot battery-grade lithium compound prices softened this past week, attributed to widespread negative short-term sentiment due to slow downstream buying.

Market participants in both China and Europe have been taking a wait-and-see approach to procurement in the run-up to the auctions of four cargoes of minor metals formerly held by the Fanya Metal Exchange.

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.