Asian spot copper markets were quiet without much liquidity due to unfavorable import conditions, while the US markets were stable but pressured by strong supply

Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China overtook more conventional auto sales for the first time ever in July, accounting for more than half of all units sold during the month, according to the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM)

The proposed amendments to the Section 301 tariffs applied by the US on imports of materials from China have prompted a flurry of feedback, including some on the timing and levels of proposed tariffs on graphite imports, Fastmarkets heard on Tuesday August 13

Fastmarkets proposes to amend the Fe base specification of its MB-IRO-0010 iron ore 63% Fe Australia-origin lump ore premium to more closely align with specifications of Australia high-grade iron ore lump.

Fastmarkets is proposing to launch an additional low-carbon differential for P1020 aluminium in Europe to capture longer term liquidity within a 3-12-month timing window.

The USDA raised estimates for US soybean production to 4.6 billion bu, surpassing previous records and market projections.

Sales of Argentine soybeans and corn rose for the 2024/25 marketing year but fell for 2023/24 in the week to July 31, while wheat sales increased week on week across both crop years, according to data released by Argentina’s agriculture secretariat on Wednesday August 7.

Read Fastmarkets' monthly battery raw materials market update for August 2024, focusing on raw materials including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and more

Slowing global demand for electric vehicles (EVs) seriously dented the second-quarter revenues of South Korea's key battery producers, sources told Fastmarkets on Friday August 9

Supply headwinds in the tin market so far in 2024 and the recent sell-off in the futures market show that demand is recovering more slowly than anticipated because of the poor macro-economic climate, but in the long-term, market participants still expect demand to grow due to the energy transition