IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from March 6

Here are five Fastmarkets stories you might have missed on Friday March 6 that are worth another look.

Most flat steel import prices in South America have remained unchanged in the week ended March 6, in a market lull before the start of negotiations for May shipments, although sellers were indicating that more expensive offers would be presented in the weeks ahead.

The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) has forecast that refined copper usage in 2020-21 will increase year on year by 1.5%, owing in part to sustained economic growth in the United States.

Nickel demand from China is likely to decline more than anticipated because of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, Nornickel said during its earnings call.

The battery-grade lithium carbonate price in China broke its steady streak in the week to Thursday March 5 after producers cut offers to meet cash flow needs, while European and US battery-grade prices fell by over 4% week on week.

Key data from the chrome pricing sessions in Asia, Europe and the United States for the week ending March 6.

What to read next
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Explore the evolving market for base metals as nickel faces competition from lithium iron phosphate alternatives.
Fastmarkets has corrected its MB-ALU-0003 alumina inferred index, fob Brazil, which was published incorrectly on Thursday October 30 due to a technical error. MB-ALU-0010 Alumina index inferred, fob Brazil was published in error as $340.40 per dry metric tonne. It has been corrected to $341.49 per dmt. MB-ALU-0003 Alumina index adjustment to fob Australia index, Brazil was […]
As global smelting margins weaken, a quiet revival is taking shape in the United States as new copper smelting and refining projects gather momentum. Policy shifts, strategic incentives and the push for industrial resilience are driving investment that could close America’s long-standing processing gap and reshape its role in the global copper market.
The publication of Fastmarkets’ MB-ALU-0002 alumina index, fob Australia assessment for Thursday October 30 was delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.