Unlike most other commodities, cobalt is primarily a by-product – with 60% derived from copper and 38% from nickel – so how will changes in those markets change the picture for cobalt in the coming months following a year of price weakness and oversupply in 2024?

Following an initial one-month consultation period, Fastmarkets has decided to extend the consultation period of the proposal to launch low-grade ferro-nickel, 20-25% Ni contained cif China price assessment to allow for additional feedback from the industry.

Argentina’s soybean sowing area estimate for the 2024-25 crop was raised by 0.6%, to 17.9 million hectares, while the wheat output was projected at 17.6 million tonnes, the country's Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (SagyP) monthly report showed on Thursday November 21.

Prices for imported flat-rolled steel into the US were largely stable on Wednesday November 20, with market participants reporting thin trading and long lead times deterring them from engaging in the foreign markets.

Copper recycling will become increasingly critical as the world transitions to cleaner energy systems, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a special report published early this week.

Fastmarkets has corrected select forward price months for AG-CRN-0051 Corn CIF Vietnam c$/bu, which were published incorrectly on Thursday November 14.

The publication of Fastmarkets’ MB-BMS-0014 Black mass, NCM/NCA, payable indicator, cobalt, domestic, exw USA, % payable Fastmarkets’ standard-grade cobalt price assessment and MB-BMS-0015 Black mass, NCM/NCA, payable indicator, nickel, exw USA, % payable LME Nickel cash official price assessment for Wednesday November 20 was delayed due to reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.

Insteel Wire Products Company announced it will cease operations at its factory in Warren, Ohio, next week.

POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution (PPLS) will complete construction of Train 2 at its lithium hydroxide monohydrate conversion facility in Gwangyang, South Korea, by early December 2024, a company source told Fastmarkets, with delivery of the first batch of lithium hydroxide expected within two months from then.

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