The recently concluded EU-Mercosur free-trade agreement, after 25 years of negotiation, is expected to have limited immediate impact on South American agricultural exports to Europe.

The Exchange for Physical (EFP) process in the futures market allows companies to manage commodity price risk by exchanging futures contracts for physical commodities, providing flexibility, price certainty, and operational efficiency.

The publication of Fastmarkets’ Japan export steel scrap assessments for Wednesday December 11 was delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.

The publication of Fastmarkets’ price assessments for MB-SN-0011 tin Grade A min 99.85% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US, $/tonne; MB-SN-0036 tin 99.85% ingot premium, in-whs Baltimore, $/tonne; and MB-ZN-0005 zinc SHG min 99.995% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US, US cents/lb for Tuesday December 10 was delayed due to an editor error.

Read about the key factors impacting the North American pallet market, including the evolving landscape of the US housing market and recent US election.

Japan’s government has announced plans to make carbon trading, a system of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions quotas, mandatory for high-emission firms from the 2026 fiscal year, which could have far-reaching consequences for Asian steelmakers, sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Friday November 29.

To view and download the schedules please visit the Forest Products Methodology page. For questions and comments please contact pricing@fastmarkets.com.

Fastmarkets has corrected its AG-CH-0021 Hides, Brazil Frigorificos full-substrate wet-blue, TR2, green, cfr Brazil, 46-48kg, $/sq ft, which was published incorrectly on December 5, 2024.

There are five major challenges facing China’s green ferro-alloys premiums, multiple sources told Fastmarkets at the 40th International Ferro-alloys Conference held in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 10-12.

Sources expect demand to rise in the first quarter of 2025, when businesses are busy preparing for Ramadan.