Fastmarkets on Thursday August 26 launches a fortnightly assessment of the China pig iron import price, reported on a US-dollar-per-tonne-cfr-China basis.

The global markets for containerized freight have entered even deeper water in recent weeks, with closures at the key port of Ningbo-Zhoushan in China leading to worsening cargo delays, port congestion and a further cutback in free days.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mainly weaker on the morning of Wednesday August 25, although they had previously rebounded from last week’s weakness.

As the world's media spotlight falls on Afghanistan, Fastmarkets looks at why reported claims of incoming Chinese mining deals are unlikely to be fulfilled soon.

Domestic prices for steel rebar in Russia’s Central Federal District widened downward by 3,500 roubles ($47) per tonne in the week to Monday August 23.

Turkish steelmakers skipped the first working day of the week with no deep-sea scrap trades, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday August 23.

Domestic prices for hot-rolled coil in Northern Europe and Italy were broadly unchanged during the week to Friday August 20 amid low trading activity during the summer holiday slowdown.

Key data from Fastmarkets’ pricing sessions in Europe, China and the United States on Friday August 20.

Fastmarkets will relabel its fob Guinea and fob Brazil bauxite assessments to clarify that bauxite pricing is done on a dry metric tonne (dmt) basis.

Seaborne coking coal prices maintained their upward trend in the cfr China market following a strong domestic coking coal market and prices inched higher in the fob market on Friday August 20 amid necessary restocking demand.