IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from June 10

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Wednesday June 10 that are worth another look.

US sanctions against Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its Shanghai-based subsidiary, E-Sail Shipping Co, are unlikely to have an impact on steel freight costs, sources told Fastmarkets on June 10.

Carmakers Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company have signed agreements that strengthen their global alliance in producing electric vehicles (EVs) and other commercial vehicles for customers in Europe and elsewhere, the companies said in a joint statement on Wednesday June 10.

Scrap metal cargoes shipped into China will be subject to a new set of inspection procedures from 2021, Fastmarkets has learned.

Chilean copper output rose by 2.6% year on year in April, with the country’s three top producers all reporting growth despite restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Vietnam’s Masan Resources has completed the acquisition of Germany’s HC Starck Group tungsten business, the tungsten miner confirmed to Fastmarkets on June 10.

What to read next
The Mexico Metals Outlook 2025 conference explored challenges and opportunities in the steel, aluminum and scrap markets, focusing on tariffs, nearshoring, capacity growth and global trends.
China has launched a coordinated crackdown on the illegal export of strategic minerals under export control, such as antimony, gallium, germanium, tungsten and rare earths, the country’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday May 9.
Fastmarkets proposes to amend the frequency of Taiwan base metals prices from biweekly to monthly, and the delivery timing for the tin 99.99% ingot premium from two weeks to four weeks.
The US-China trade truce announced on May 12 has brought cautious optimism to China’s non-ferrous metals markets, signaling a possible shift in global trade. Starting May 14, the removal of additional tariffs has impacted sectors like battery raw materials, minor metals and base metals such as zinc and nickel, with mixed reactions. While the improved sentiment has lifted futures prices and trade activity, the long-term effects remain unclear due to challenges like supply-demand pressures and export controls.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments of Shanghai bonded aluminium, zinc and nickel stocks for April 30 were delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated. The data effective for April 30 was published on May 7 as a result. The following assessments were affected:Shanghai aluminium bonded stocksShanghai zinc bonded stocksShanghai nickel […]
Global physical copper cathodes premiums were mixed in the week to Tuesday April 15, with US market moving down, Europe rising and Asia holding largely steady.