The base metals on the London Metal Exchange and on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mainly firmer this morning, Monday April 20, but broader markets were mixed with equities braced for the release of corporate earnings.

Fastmarkets has corrected its lithium carbonate index, min 99.5% Li2O3, grade, exw China, which was published incorrectly on Thursday April 16 due to an input error.

The base metals and broader markets are upbeat this morning, Friday April 17, with equity indices and metals prices showing strong gains - this despite some grim data out of China this morning, which suggests the markets may have been expecting even worse data.

Import prices for bulk cargoes of deep-sea ferrous scrap in Bangladesh rose by $25 per tonne over the week to Thursday April 16 amid low availability.

Rio Tinto has cut its 2020 copper production guidance due to the Covid-19 pandemic and an earthquake last month at its Kennecott operations in the US state of Utah.

The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was up during morning trading on Thursday April 16, with price action supported by a fresh outflow of some 600 tonnes, while steady buying over the morning saw copper hold on to recent gains.

Metals prices are in limbo this morning, Thursday April 16, while participants weigh up the stark truth that the global economy is experiencing a slump in demand with the potential for a rebound given all the monetary and fiscal stimulus being thrown at economies around the world.

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

No market has been left untouched by the escalating coronavirus pandemic, but iron ore prices have proved relatively buoyant for the past two months compared with the price plunges we have seen in other commodities.

Metals and wider markets are mixed this morning, Wednesday April 15, while traders brace for more economic and corporate data that will start to show the economic hit that the global economy has suffered.