ASIAN MORNING BRIEF 24/08: LME lead prices rally; Korea Resources opens talks to sell stake, offtake in First Quantum’s Cobre Panama copper mine; Chinese cobalt tetroxide prices under pressure

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday August 24.

Lead prices were up by more than 2% at the close of trading on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday August 23, while nickel, copper and tin prices struggled to maintain the midweek relief rally amid a resurgence of US-Sino trade tensions. Read more in our live futures report.

Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:

Korea Resources Corp (Kores) has initiated a sale process for its 10% stake and offtake agreement in First Quantum’s Cobre Panama copper mine, four sources with knowledge of the matter told Metal Bulletin.

China’s cobalt tetroxide prices have been under pressure over the past few months from high inventories, weak spot demand and substitution by battery makers, market participants said.

Mining companies active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed a new body to engage with the government on industry concerns about the country’s new mining code and any other material issue concerning the mining industry.

ArcelorMittal remains committed to its acquisition of Italian flat-rolled steel producer Ilva and to acting as a responsible owner and operator of the business, a company spokesman said on Thursday. A day earlier, Italian minister for economic development Luigi Di Maio said that the tender for the Ilva sale might be invalid.

The biggest steel producer in the United Arab Emirates, Emirates Steel, has rolled over offer prices for September-rolling rebar.

What to read next
Asian spot copper premiums rose in the week ended Tuesday July 23, with premiums imported into China increasing on improved arbitrage terms. In the US market, supply failed to keep up with strong demand while in Europe participants were mostly off for the summer holidays
In the fourth episode of Fastmarkets critical minerals podcast Fast Forward, Freeport-McMoRan CEO and president Kathleen Quirk tells host Andrea Hotter why there's a preference to build and not build new supplies of copper right now
Demand for primary aluminium from the green transition remains a “brighter spot” for consumption amid an otherwise challenging downstream demand outlook, Eivind Kallevik, Norsk Hydro’s chief executive officer and president, told Fastmarkets in an exclusive interview on Tuesday July 23
Acquisition Company Limited (ACG) has agreed to buy the Gediktepe mine in Turkey — the company’s first deal as it works to build a sizeable mid-tier copper producer, its chairman and chief executive officer told Fastmarkets.
Copper market price speculation is driving the base metals narrative, head of research at UK-based services provider Sucden Financial Daria Efanova said during the company’s third-quarter metals webinar on Wednesday July 17.
Chinese mining giant CMOC reported a 178% year-on-year increase in cobalt metal production for the first six months of 2024, according to an announcement by the company on Friday July 12