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

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

Imports of long products to the European Union dropped during the first four months of 2020 year on year due to the toxic combination of the effect of Covid-19 on consumption and rising protectionism.

It has not been an easy year so far for Peru’s zinc and lead mining companies after the coronavirus pandemic swept through South America, with operations facing lengthy shutdowns as well as multi-year low prices for their products.

Declining copper stocks at London Metal Exchange-registered warehouses are not an indicator of improving demand conditions in Europe, according to industry participants, with the LME’s recent off-warrant stock publication showing the extent of surplus supply in the region.

Exports of manganese ore from South Africa have almost quadrupled from April to July, according to preliminary trade data seen by Fastmarkets, and the majority will head to China, where inventories are already rising and prices have fallen sharply.

Chinese domestic spot prices of both indium and germanium have yet to yield any gains after the provincial government of Yunnan announced further details on the commercial stockpiling of several non-ferrous metals, which in theory could lend some support to these metals, Fastmarkets understands.

What to read next
Get the key takeaways from our recent webinar on Argentina's role in the energy transition as a powerhouse in copper and lithium production.
After a consultation, Fastmarkets is increasing the publication frequency of its non-exchange-deliverable equivalent-grade (EQ) copper cathode premium, CIF Shanghai, from once a week to twice a week.
New plans to introduce block trades for bilaterally negotiated transactions on the London Metal Exchange are aimed at enhancing liquidity and transparency without harming the exchange’s core physical user base, chief executive officer Matthew Chamberlain told Fastmarkets.
The London Metal Exchange has unveiled a series of proposals which, if successful, could accomplish what it failed to achieve close to a decade ago: bringing the investment community into the fold.
The primary aluminium premium for duty-unpaid units in Rotterdam edged higher in the week to Tuesday September 3, while the wider European market found continued support from high replacement costs and tight nearby inventories despite slow consumer demand.
Market participants are converging on Bali in Indonesia for the Fastmarkets International Critical Minerals & Metals Summit (ICMMS) on September 5 and 6, so ahead of the event, we capture the main themes facing the global nickel market.