IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from January 31

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday January 31 that are worth another look.

Imports of hot-rolled stainless steel sheet and coil from China, Taiwan and Indonesia now need to be registered on entering the European Union and could be subject to retroactive duties later in the year.

The supply-demand dynamics in the global copper market were likely to turn into a deficit in 2020, helping to boost the average price to $2.85 per lb during the year, Chilean state copper commission Cochilco said on Thursday January 30.

Global battery grade lithium markets were steady in the week to January 30 with Chinese markets still away for the Lunar New Year holiday which has been extended due to the Wuhan coronavirus and European and United States prices yet to be affected by any impact from the health emergency

Global manganese ore supply increased 6% year on year in 2019 to 22.14 million tonnes of manganese units, amid rising output in Africa and the Americas, according to the latest data from the International Manganese Institute (IMnI).

Ferro-tungsten prices continued to rise this week, as recent tightness was reinforced by concerns about a potential threat to movement of units from China as a result of the Wuhan coronavirus.

What to read next
Renewed US-China trade tensions with Donald Trump’s second presidential term could bolster Southeast Asia’s aluminium scrap industry in 2025, particularly amid still-growing Chinese demand, sources told Fastmarkets by Tuesday, January 14.
European steel and aluminium producers have urged the European Commission to take immediate and effective action to tackle "scrap leakage" so that the European Union can meet its sustainable development aims and secure industrial competitiveness.
There has been a freefall in copper concentrates treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) this year amid tighter supply in the market. In 2025, supply tightness is projected to keep copper concentrates TC/RCs low on average for the whole year, sources told Fastmarkets.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ Shanghai copper premiums on Monday December 23 were delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
Fastmarkets proposes to amend the frequency of the publication of several US base metal price assessments to a monthly basis, including MB-PB-0006 lead 99.97% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US; MB-SN-0036 tin 99.85% premium, in-whs Baltimore; MB-SN-0011 tin 99.85% premium, ddp Midwest US; MB-NI-0240 nickel 4x4 cathode premium, delivered Midwest US and MB-NI-0241 nickel briquette premium, delivered Midwest US.
The news that President-elect Donald Trump is considering additional tariffs on goods from China as well as on all products from US trading partners Canada and Mexico has spurred alarm in the US aluminium market at a time that is usually known to be calm.