While backward-looking economic data continues to show how deep the global contraction has been, markets seem focused on the recovery this morning, Monday May 18, as more economies open up and plan to reopen in the weeks ahead.

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday May 15 that are worth another look.

Hopes that the global economic engine fires up on the first attempt may be asking a lot given second waves of Covid-19 infections emerging, and the fact global leaders are not pulling together is not helping underlying sentiment this morning, Friday May 15, with US President Donald Trump at loggerheads with China.

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday May 14 that are worth another look.

North American Stainless Inc (NAS) has applauded a decision by the United States Commerce Department to deny a second Section 232 exclusion request from Allegheny Technologies Inc (ATI).

Offer prices for bulk ferrous scrap cargoes to Bangladesh have increased over the past week after higher prices were paid elsewhere in Asia, but several buyers remained out of the market, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 14.

With some clusters of Covid-19 infections emerging after the lifting of lockdowns, there is less hope that a ‘V’-shaped rebound is sustainable and as a result markets were on a back foot this morning, Thursday May 14, especially broader markets, while the base metals were consolidating.

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday May 13 that are worth another look.

Australian iron ore major Rio Tinto and China’s steel giant Baoshan Iron & Steel (Baosteel) have completed their first paperless, yuan-denominated iron ore deal, underlying both the increasing digitization of iron ore trades and importance of the Chinese currency, DBS Bank, which was one of the enablers of the deal, said on Tuesday May 12.

Broader markets were generally weaker this morning, Tuesday May 12, amid concerns about clusters of new Covid-19 infections in the Chinese city of Wuhan and in South Korea, while China’s consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) data releases were weaker than expected.