The latest forecasts from Fastmarkets’ team of analysts are ready to view.

Fastmarkets is proposing to increase the pricing frequency of its cobalt hydroxide index, 30% Co min, cif China to fortnightly from monthly at present.

Chrome ore is the raw material in ferro-alloy production that is most likely to be subject to supply disruptions during 2020-2021, according to a poll conducted during Fastmarkets’ webinar on Covid-19 and Asian ferro-alloy markets on Tuesday June 30.

Asian equities markets were stronger this morning, Monday July 6, and that has helped drive gains averaging 0.8% across the three-month bases metals prices on London Metal Exchange.

China’s infrastructure spending has aided the steel market’s recovery from the effects of Covid-19 shutdowns and is very likely to facilitate “a great prospective” for the consumption of steel and ferro-alloys used in infrastructure, delegates heard at Fastmarkets’ “Covid-19 and Asian ferro-alloys market” webinar on Tuesday June 30.

Domestic prices for steel hot-rolled coil moved up across Europe in the week ended Friday July 3 despite the revival in demand being slow.

Steel scrap prices in the global markets continued to fall in the working week ended Friday July 3, with the exception of Turkey, which secured a cargo at a higher price as the week closed.

Import prices for containerized ferrous scrap in Taiwan declined further this week, with steelmakers holding back amid a weakening market for the steelmaking raw material in Asia.

Markets were mixed this morning, Friday July 3, with Asian-Pacific equities generally higher and pre-market western equity index futures weaker, while the base metals and precious metals were mixed.

Seaborne coking coal prices diverged on Friday July 3, with market participants taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the market, Fastmarkets was told.