IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from January 8

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Wednesday January 8 that are worth another look.

Escalating tensions between the United States and Iran have not affected appetite in Southeast Asia for Iranian steel products, sources told Fastmarkets.

Limited buying interest ahead of national holidays has dragged the Shanghai copper premium to its lowest level in almost three years, while copper premiums are stable in Europe and the United States with minimal spot activity for the first week of 2020.

Brazil’s Atlantic Nickel started producing around three months ahead of schedule, and expectations of achieving full capacity have also been brought forward to the second quarter this year, chief executive officer Paulo Castellari told Fastmarkets in an interview on Tuesday January 7.

Jupiter Mines is starting a feasibility study into an expansion project that aims to increase manganese ore output from Tshipi Borwa by 50% to 4.5 million tonnes per year over three years, the company announced on January 7.

North American lithium producer Livent has revised down its financial guidance for fourth-quarter as well as full-year revenues, and is reviewing potential changes to its planned capacity expansion road map, it said on January 7.

What to read next
Market reactions to the soon-to-be-implemented US copper tariff are driving short-term volatility and supply imbalances while fuelling long-term efforts to expand domestic production, recycling and infrastructure.
US export controls on recycled copper would have unintended consequences that could weaken the country’s domestic recycling and manufacturing ecosystems, the president of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) said.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments for nickel 4x4 cathode, nickel briquette and nickel uncut cathode premiums in-whs Rotterdam was delayed on Tuesday July 16 because of a reporter error.
Fastmarkets has corrected its alumina index inferred prices, which were published incorrectly on Tuesday July 15.
The United States' copper recycling industry is ramping up pressure on policymakers to impose some form of export controls on high-purity copper scrap, arguing that current trade dynamics – particularly with China – are distorting prices, weakening domestic capacity and undermining national security goals.
Fastmarkets launched two new price assessments for Indonesia’s domestic trade in nickel ore on Tuesday July 15. The two price assessments are for domestic trades of Indonesian laterite ores with 1.6% and 1.2% nickel content. Indonesia now accounts for 60% of the global nickel supplies and while there is an official government reference price, known […]