EUROPEAN MORNING BRIEF 14/05: Most SHFE base metals prices up; LME Asia Week gets underway; US Midwest Ali premium strong

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Monday May 14.

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly higher during Asian morning trading on Monday, with the exception of aluminium and zinc, amid easing trade tensions between the United States and China, and a weaker dollar.

Check Metal Bulletin’s live futures report here.

SHFE snapshot at 11.10 am Shanghai time
Most-traded SHFE contracts
  Price (yuan per tonne) Change since previous session’s close (yuan)
Copper (Jul) 51,530 90
Aluminium (Jul) 14,650 -20
Zinc (Jul) 23,575 -120
Lead (Jul) 19,105 310
Tin  (Sep) 145,760 170
Nickel  (Jul) 105,420 1,500

LME snapshot at 04:11am London time
Latest three-month LME Prices
  Price ($ per tonne) Change since previous session’s close ($)
Copper 6,929 -13
Aluminium 2,283.50 -4.5
Lead 2,379.50 34.5
Zinc 3,079.50 -4.5
Tin 21,000 25
Nickel 14,090 35

LME Asia Week 2018, the annual gathering of thousands of global metals and mining professionals in Hong Kong, kicks off today. Find out what’s happening and where. Metal Bulletin also presents a preview of key topics likely to dominate discussions during this week’s event.

TMT Metals Holdings Ltd aims to grow its trading book to $4-5 billion within the next three years by expanding into markets like zinc, copper, nickel and concentrates and has recently made three new hires as part of this diversification plan, a company official told Metal Bulletin during LME Asia Week.

Silver futures would complement the gold futures that already trade on Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing (HKEX), chief executive officer (CEO) Charles Li said in an interview with Metal Bulletin ahead of LME Asia Week last week.

London Metal Exchange warehouses in China remain a “top priority” but HKEX is not “aggressively pushing for it,” the exchange’s CEO told Metal Bulletin.

The Chinese market is becoming so big and important globally that “we just need to find the best way to fit in,” according to HKEX’s Li.

Meanwhile, Li also told Metal Bulletin that HKEX has not shelved Chinese spot trading platform Qianhai Mercantile Exchange.

The US Midwest aluminium premium held steady on May 11, supported at historically high levels by continuing tight supply and strong demand.

Chinese ferro-chrome spot prices bottomed out after small volumes were available to major stainless steel mills at their lower tender prices for May. Check out Metal Bulletin’s latest chrome snapshot here.