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

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

A fundamental industry that has always been a primary facilitator of global trade, shipping aims to be at the forefront of digital technology. This report explores initiatives at the Dutch Port of Rotterdam – Europe’s largest port by cargo tonnage – and how those connect with global trade.

India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies has denied carrying out investigations that could result in safeguard duties being imposed on steel product imports into the country.

Japanese copper smelters have signed supply contracts for copper concentrate with treatment and refining charges of $68 per tonne/6.8 cents per lb, seven informed sources confirmed to Fastmarkets.

Dramatic inflows of lead stock into London Metal Exchange warehouses this week have challenged the market notion of physical tightness following a suspension at Nyrstar’s Port Pirie smelter, which has been cited as the key driver of a recent surge in the lead price.

Metinvest chief executive officer Yuriy Ryzhenkov discusses the challenges the company has overcome and the strategies for its future prosperity.

What to read next
It was already getting more difficult to source nickel qualified as compliant to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Under a future Donald Trump administration, it’s likely to get harder still, in the short-term at least.
Aluminium market participants in the US anticipate stable business supported by continued tariffs and potential interest rate cuts, while industry sources in Europe and Latin America are watchful of potential new trade restrictions.
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.