EUROPEAN MORNING BRIEF 08/12: Third Q1 MJP deal done at $103/t; Vale cutting nickel production; US aluminium imports

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s office in Shanghai as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday December 8.

Tracking price movements seen on the London Metal Exchange, copper prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange recovered some lost ground during Asian morning trading on Friday, with renewed supply-side concerns providing support.

Check Metal Bulletin’s live futures report here.

LME snapshot at 02.20am London time
Latest three-month LME Prices
  Price
($ per tonne)
 Change since yesterday’s close ($)
Copper 6,569 5
Aluminium 2,013 3
Lead 2,442 9
Zinc 3,059 -31
Tin 19,350 -75
Nickel 10,955 -85

SHFE snapshot at 10.19am Shanghai time
Most-traded SHFE contracts
  Price
(yuan per tonne)
 Change since yesterday’s close (yuan)
Copper  51,450 240
Aluminium 14,210 5
Zinc 24,325 -170
Lead 18,505 -175
Tin  139,590 -110
Nickel  88,680 1,270

A major end-user has concluded a third deal for aluminium supply to main Japanese ports (MJP) in the first quarter of 2018 at a premium of $103 per tonne, the consumer told Metal Bulletin on Friday.

Vale SA is searching for an equity partner for its Vale New Caledonia (VNC) nickel operations to send a positive message to investors and not because the company needs cash.

Meanwhile, Vale plans to reduce its nickel production in the short term to capitalize on the metal’s future potential use in electric vehicles, according to a company executive.

Aluminium imports to the United States in the first 10 months of 2017 surpassed the previous years’ total – despite October’s volume being a year-to-date low, according to data from the US International Trade Commission.

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