The United States plans to “make up for lost time” in the battle against climate change by developing new technologies and investing in the products that will drive the transition to a global, low-carbon economy, according to the country’s Treasury chief, Janet Yellen.

Fastmarkets has corrected its weekly manganese ore 37% index, cif Tianjin and 44% index, cif Tianjin rationales, which were published incorrectly on Tuesday April 6 due to reporter error.

Following extensive market engagement, Fastmarkets will change specifications of its daily price assessment for steel billet, import, cfr Southeast Asia from Monday April 12.

The Shanghai Futures Exchange’s plans to list ferro-chrome futures, potentially this year, will bring welcomed hedging opportunities and may weaken the dominance of China’s stainless steel mills in the ore and alloy markets, participants told Fastmarkets.

South African manganese miner Assmang has declared force majeure on some shipments after state transport provider Transnet issued the same notice last week.

Mining and metals producer Assmang has declared force majeure on its medium-carbon ferro-manganese production in South Africa, a source told Fastmarkets this week.

Global silico-manganese output dropped by 4.5% month on month in November 2020 to 1.5 million tonnes, due to production cuts in Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States region, according to the latest data from the International Manganese Institute (IMnI).

The rapid and significant falls in manganese ore prices in 2019 and 2020 have created "frozen stocks," which are believed to have acted as a buffer for the ore market while also demonstrating some different characteristics over both years, sources told Fastmarkets.

Fastmarkets proposes to make two amendments to the specifications of its daily price for steel billet, import, cfr Southeast Asia.

Fastmarkets has amended the specifications for its manganese ore 44% Mn, cif Tianjin, $/dmtu index.