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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from January 17

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday January 17 that are worth another look.

January 20, 2020
By Generic people page
Base metals Copper

Import prices of flat-rolled steel in South America made no clear trend for the past week while negotiations between sellers and buyers for March shipments intensified and put some markets under pressure ahead of the Chinese New Year break (January 24-30).

Aluminium billet premiums in Brazil and Japan ticked down on January 17 due to weak demand, while premiums in Europe and the United States were steady on unchanged fundamentals.

Fastmarkets’ copper concentrates treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) continued to increase this week, with smelters and traders now largely squared for the first quarter.

All battery-grade lithium compound prices were steady week on week on Thursday January 16, with market activity thinning in Asia ahead of the Chinese New Year holidays while renewed demand supported prices in Europe and the United States.

Glencore plans to restructure its Rustenburg ferro-chrome smelter in South Africa due to deteriorating conditions in the ferro-chrome market and high power costs, the trader-miner announced on January 17.

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Possible Trump tariffs on Canada, Mexico spur alarm in US aluminium market
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How global copper, nickel markets will drive the outlook for cobalt in 2025
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November 26, 2024
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Copper recycling must accelerate to meet green energy demand, IEA says
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Proposal to reduce frequency, increase timing window of US low-carbon aluminium differentials
Fastmarkets proposes to lower the frequency of its assessments for MB-AL-0389 aluminium low-carbon differential P1020A, US Midwest and MB-AL-0390 aluminium low-carbon differential value-added product US Midwest. Fastmarkets also proposes to extend the timing window of these same assessments to include any transaction data concluded within up to 18 months.
November 21, 2024
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Final decision on open consultation on non-ferrous methodology
Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on its non-ferrous and industrial minerals methodologies, via an open consultation process between October 8 and November 6, 2024. This consultation was done as part of our published annual methodology review process.
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By Janie Davies