IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from January 24

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday January 24 that are worth another look.

Chinese steelmaker Hebei Jingye Group has moved a step closer to acquiring British Steel following an agreement made with the trade unions that could result in 500 job losses.

Copper scrap buyers in the United States are concerned that an increase in US exports to China could pressure discounts in the second half of 2020, leading to a “relatively flat discount” throughout the year.

The price of stainless steel flat products in the European domestic market was unchanged in the past week ahead of an expected, but moderate, rise in monthly surcharges for February, sources told Fastmarkets on January 24.

China’s domestic spot battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide prices were unchanged this week as they have been through January due to thin buying activity, and the market became even quieter in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holidays that started on January 24.

Korea Zinc will stop refining selenium as a byproduct of copper ore now that market levels have made it unprofitable, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets.

What to read next
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.
On Thursday October 24, the US Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the final rules regarding the Section 45X credits under the US Internal Revenues Code. The final rules clarify definitions and confirm credit amounts for eligible components, including solar and wind energy, inverters, qualifying battery components and applicable critical minerals. […]