Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mixed on the morning of Friday July 6, with nickel (-0.8%), zinc (+1.1%) and aluminium (+0.3%) the main movers, while copper at $6,326 per tonne and tin at $19,455 per tonne were little changed. That said, copper did spike down to a low of $6,221.50 per tonne at around 4am London time.

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Friday July 6.

Copper prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were under pressure during Asian morning trading on Friday July 6 amid growing bearish sentiment in the market ahead of the United States’ implementation of trade tariffs against China.

In the face of increasingly volatile markets in Asia, it is becoming more and more crucial for participants to engage in hedging to cut their risks of incurring losses, industry sources told Metal Bulletin.

The tentacles of US sanctions may be starting to reach further afield, special correspondent Andrea Hotter muses in the latest Hotter on Metals column.

As steel markets grow in maturity and look towards the use of derivatives and hedging tools, it is probably a good time to consider how hedging can increase the transparency of steel pricing and reducing the risks of volatile price trends.

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Friday July 6.

GFG Alliance, the parent company of international metals group Liberty House, has acquired the freehold and cargo-handling services of Bird Port in Newport, South Wales, UK, it said on Thursday July 5.

The board of directors of Gécamines has implemented a new corporate structure including a more decentralized organization and a drive to promote a new generation of younger managers.

Metal Bulletin proposes to amend the delivery timing noted in the specification for its weekly domestic base price assessments for three European domestic stainless steel markets.