Base metals prices on both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were for the main part firmer this morning, Wednesday October 28, this despite early weakness in major western equity index futures that were suffering because parts of Europe look set to escalate lockdown measures.

The electric vehicle (EV) and autonomous vehicle (AV) markets will have a large impact on the automotive industry and there are technological advances happening in steel that could contribute to this auto evolution, according to a panel discussion during the Steel Success Strategies 2020 virtual conference this week.

There are reasons to believe the worst is over for a domestic steel market rattled by the Covid-19 pandemic, Nucor Corp president and chief executive officer Leon Topalian told attendees of Fastmarkets’ Steel Success Strategies Online conference on Monday October 26.

Uncertainty about next year’s aluminium fundamentals and consumer hesitance to commit to long-term, large-tonnage contracts has Alvance chief operating officer Guillaume De Goys expecting an active spot market in 2021.

Rusal America Corp has secured “green” aluminium supply contracts with two separate Mexican downstream manufacturers, with one being the “greenest” slab contract ever signed in North America, president and chief executive officer Brian Hesse told Fastmarkets on Thursday October 22.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were weaker this morning, Thursday October 22, this after a day of general strength on Wednesday that saw copper prices climb, intraday, back above $7,000 per tonne.

Half of the base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange have in recent days risen to multi-month highs, with copper reaching levels not seen since June 2018, and all of the metals are pushing higher this morning, Wednesday October 21.

Fastmarkets is proposing to amend the settlement criteria for its MB-AL-0001 aluminium P1020A (MJP) quarterly premium, cif Japan, $ per tonne.

Recycled copper and aluminium that meet China’s standards for renewable metals instead of solid waste can be freely imported into the country starting from November 1, according to the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

The London Metal Exchange three-month zinc price was the standout performer during morning trading on Monday October 19, with the price rallying by more than 2% on positive Chinese economic data and strong buying momentum, while queue and logistics concerns at Port Klang, Malaysia, resulted in some 38,000 tonnes of aluminium being placed back on-warrant in the region.