Fastmarkets reviews how much of the EU safeguarding import quota allowances for hollow sections has been used and by who, with an estimation of when they will be exhausted country by country at the current usage rates.
The benchmark premium paid for the supply of aluminium to main Japanese ports (MJP) in the first quarter of 2020 has settled at $83 per tonne on a cif basis over the London Metal Exchange cash price. The settlement represents a decrease of 14.4% or $14 per tonne from the fourth-quarter benchmark of $97 per tonne, which was set at the end of September.
The spot lead concentrate treatment charge (TC) dropped in December in the first downward movement for six months. Fastmarkets assessed lead spot concentrate TC, high silver, cif China at $150-170 per tonne on December 27, down from $170-185 per tonne in November.
The discount for copper scrap imported into China has narrowed in December because Chinese consumers returned to the spot market to fill quotas granted for the first quarter of 2020. Fastmarkets assessed the copper scrap No2 copper (birch/cliff) imported into China 94-96%, LME/Comex discount, cif China at 35-40 cents per lb on Monday December 30. That compared with 38-40 cents per lb a month ago.
Trading activity in the major global billet markets was reduced in the week ended Friday December 27 due to participants being away for the Christmas and New Year festive season.
