IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from April 30

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Thursday April 30 that are worth another look.

Indian steel mills are unlikely to cut domestic hot rolled coil prices for sales in May, private mill sources in the country told Fastmarkets this week.

ABN AMRO Bank has filed a claim against China’s largest private copper smelter Dongying Fangyuan, according to a court document seen by Fastmarkets.

Switzerland-based trader-producer Glencore has cut its production guidance for cobalt and ferro-chrome for 2020 in response to expected business interruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minor metal market participants do not expect the Yunnan provincial government incentives for commercial stockpiling of non-ferrous metals to immediately boost indium or germanium prices due to the potentially limited share allocated to minor metals and the weak demand outlook.

Brazilian company Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM) will halt its ferro-niobium operations on May 18 for scheduled maintenance, Fastmarkets heard on April 30.

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Aluminium market participants in the US anticipate stable business supported by continued tariffs and potential interest rate cuts, while industry sources in Europe and Latin America are watchful of potential new trade restrictions.
Chinese authorities officially announced that they will be expanding the range of permitted recycled copper and aluminium imports from mid-November, but market participants Fastmarkets spoke to at a conference this week are not convinced that this will mean more material will be imported into the country in the short run.
Li-Cycle announced on Thursday October 31 that it had entered an agreement with Glencore to sell 100% of the premium nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) production at its stalled hub in Rochester, New York – a step that could support Li-Cycle’s efforts to finalize a loan with the US Department of Energy (DOE).
Unprecedented supply tightness and record low treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) are likely to challenge copper smelters in 2025 – even more than in 2024, sources told Fastmarkets.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ MB-PB-0086 lead 99.99% ingot premium, cif India and MB-PB-0087 lead 99.97% ingot premium, cif India assessments for Tuesday November 5 were delayed due to a reporter error.
Quarterly figures released by global miner Glencore on Wednesday October 30 showed that zinc concentrate output was dropping in a tight market while overall nickel output was down despite an increase in briquettes.