Battery recyclers remain under pressure, with tight margins among black mass producers and refiners amid a host of challenges for the industry, according to delegates at Fastmarkets Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Conference 2025, which took place in Last Vegas, Nevada, from June 23-26

Here are the key takeaways from market participants on US ferrous scrap metal prices, market confidence, inventory and more from our July survey.

Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-CO-0021 cobalt hydroxide payable indicator, min 30% Co, cif China, % payable of Fastmarkets’ standard-grade cobalt price (low-end), which was published incorrectly on Wednesday July 2 due to a reporter error.

The corrections are as follows: AG-WHE-0028 Wheat 13.5% FOB Canada CWRS $/mt Incorrect prices: M1 July $279.00 per tonne M2 August $53.75 per tonne M3 September $55.50 per tonne M4 October $48.25 per tonne M5 November $48.25 per tonne M6 December $50.25 per tonne M7 January $41.00 per tonne M8 February $39.25 per tonne M9 March […]

The Wheat 10% FOB US Pacific Northwest SW market typically trades on an outright price basis instead of as a premium to Chicago Mercantile Exchange futures. For that reason, Fastmarkets proposes to discontinue the AG-WHE-0025 Wheat 10% FOB US Pacific Northwest SW Premium c$/bu assessment while keeping its AG -WHE-0027 Wheat 10% FOB US Pacific Northwest SW […]

The prices are: The changes were made in order to ensure that the liquidity and price volatility in these markets is adequately captured. The changes were welcomed by market participants seeking more granular coverage and increased transparency. In the UK, the decline of domestic steelmaking means the scrap market is dominated by exports. Exporters told Fastmarkets that […]

The 2025 Fastmarkets Lithium Conference in Las Vegas highlighted critical issues shaping the battery supply chain, including lithium oversupply, funding struggles and the need for midstream investment. Discussions also emphasized the importance of interdependence with China and the challenges faced by recyclers amid policy uncertainty and market headwinds.

The rationale for MB-STE-0783 steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), cfr Vietnam, had wrongly said that offers of containerized scrap were heard at $285 per tonne. This has been corrected to show that such assessments were heard at $285 per tonne. The published price is unaffected by this change. This price is part of the Fastmarkets […]

The Brazilian National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) will increase the country's biodiesel mandate to 15% starting on August 1, from the current blend of 14%, the council announced on Wednesday June 25. It will also increased the percentage of anhydrous ethanol in gasoline from 27% to 30%, also starting from August 1.

US and European wheat futures advanced for the first time in six sessions on Friday June 27 while market participants speculated that this week’s price declines were steeper than justified by market fundamentals and after China and the US confirmed that they reached a trade agreement.