ASIAN MORNING BRIEF 04/05: Zinc slides to nine-month low on LME; Teck signs annual zinc concentrate supply deals; Nyrstar earnings drop 5% in first quarter

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday May 4.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mostly lower at the close of trading on Thursday May 3, with zinc diving to its lowest point since August 2017. Read more in our live futures report.

Here are how prices looked at Thursday’s close:

Teck Resources has signed annual zinc concentrate supply deals with European smelters Glencore and Nyrstar, with treatment charges set at a 12-year low of $147 per tonne.

Nyrstar sustained a 5% year-on-year drop in first-quarter earnings despite higher zinc prices during the period, the company said in an earnings call on May 3.

Meanwhile, Glencore posted an 11% boost in cobalt production in the first quarter due to the restart of its Katanga copper mine in Africa.

Kudumane Manganese Resources has delayed deliveries of some manganese ore shipments due to heavy rains in South Africa’s Northern Cape region.

Export prices for pig iron from the Commonwealth of Independent States have weakened thanks to low demand in key markets, according to Metal Bulletin’s latest price assessment.

The Eurozone purchasing manager’s index fell to a 13-month low in April due to a slowdown in growth across five of the eight nations covered, according to data supplier IHS Markit.

Colombian crude steel output fell 26.7% in March, according to the Colombian Committee of Steel Producers, while long steel production edged up.

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.