IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from December 13

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday December 13 that are worth another look.

The digitization of the iron ore market took another step forward this week with trader Cargill completing its first e-contract transaction for iron ore with a Chinese steelmaker, Ningbo Iron & Steel.

Chinese copper smelter Jiangxi Copper and Zambian blister copper producer Chambishi (CCS) have signed a 2020 supply contract at a refining charge of $128 per tonne cif China, Fastmarkets learned.

China’s domestic lithium carbonate price weakened in the week to Thursday December 12, while the rest of the world’s battery-grade lithium prices held steady due to thin buying activities on the spot market.

South Africa’s largest ferro-chrome producer Samancor Chrome will cut back both mine and smelter operations in response to “persistent depressed prices” and electricity supply constraints, it announced on Friday December 6.

Cobalt buyers returned to the market this week, but prices fell further towards $15 per lb while sellers sought to offload stock ahead of the end of the year.

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This is a follow-up pricing notice to yesterday’s notice about the delay. The following prices were affected by this:MB-AL-0256 Aluminium fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-CU-0338 Copper fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-PB-0064 Lead fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-NI-0093 Nickel fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-SN-0005 Tin rand fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-ZN-0072 Zinc rand […]
A second pricing notice will follow when the pricing database has been updated.  The following prices have been affected by this:MB-AL-0256 Aluminium fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-CU-0338 Copper fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-PB-0064 Lead fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-NI-0093 Nickel fixing price for LME trade, rand/tonne MB-SN-0005 Tin rand fixing price for LME trade, […]
President Trump has threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium to 50%, potentially escalating tensions in US-Canada trade relations. If implemented, this move could have significant economic consequences and may prompt retaliatory actions from Canada. The article examines the potential implications of this tariff hike and its impact on the steel and aluminium industries, as well as the broader trade dynamics between the two nations.
Fastmarkets is launching assessments of the MB-AL-0407 aluminium P1020A premium, cif Mexico, and the MB-AL-0406 aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, cif Mexico, on Tuesday March 11, and will also launch an assessment of the MB-AL-0408 aluminium low-carbon differential P1020A, cif Mexico, on Tuesday March 25. After a consultation period, Fastmarkets is launching assessments of the three […]
This price is part of the Fastmarkets Scrap package. For more information on Fastmarkets North America Ferrous Scrap methodology and specifications please click here. To get in touch about access to this price assessment, please contact customer.success@fastmarkets.com.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ nickel sulfate, in-whs Rotterdam assessment for Friday March 7 was delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.