IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from December 18

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday December 18 that are worth another look.

Brazilian flat steel producers are seeking price increases of around 5-8% in 2020 annual contract talks with automakers, according to several market participants.

The United States and China reaching a partial trade agreement elicited a muted response from metals markets this week.

Manganese miner Tshipi has recorded a 54% year-on-year drop in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) in the three months to November 30, 2019 amid falling manganese ore prices.

Spot activity was low across zinc markets in Asia, Europe and the United States in the week ended Tuesday December 17 with much of the focus on next year’s contractual supply premium discussion.

Consumers of batteries are seeking more price transparency in the lithium market, Albemarle said, while predicting the market will move to undersupply by the middle of the next decade.

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Fastmarkets has decided to make changes and clarifications to its methodologies for nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) black mass price assessments, including name changes, to bring them into closer alignment with current spot market specifications.
An interview in which Andrea Hotter spoke with Jon Stibbs, managing editor for technology and energy metals, to explore a growing concern for global defense supply chains.
Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on the pricing methodology for its steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Saudi Arabia price, as part of its annual methodology review process.
Fastmarkets has corrected its MB-STE-0816 Japan seamless Linepipe API 5L B fob and its MB-STE-0817 Japan seamless Linepipe API 5L X65 fob assessments, which were published incorrectly on Wednesday April 8 due to a procedural error.
Fastmarkets has decided to launch two weekly price assessments for graphite flake 94% C, -100 mesh and graphite flake 94% C, +80 mesh on an ex-works China basis on Thursday April 16.