IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from November 1

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday November 1 that are worth another look.

Chinese steel exporters are bracing for a tough year end and an equally challenging 2020, even as the trade war between China and the United States mellows after a truce reached in early October.

Copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) rebounded slightly amid a lack of spot deals while annual contract negotiations kicked off during the annual London Metal Exchange Week gathering this week.

World silico-manganese supply jumped 23% year on year in September to reach 1.67 million tonnes, according to the latest research from the International Manganese Institute (IMnI).

Spot prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China narrowed downward this past week while those for lithium hydroxide gained some stability.

Tsingshan Group has kept its ferro-chrome tender price for November delivery unchanged at a time when upstream chrome ore prices have been under pressure.

What to read next
Half a million tonnes of copper is sitting in US warehouses, and the traders who put it there are starting to wonder whether they’ve built a hedge, or a trap.
European automotive procurement faces growing complexity due to regional cost volatility and policy-driven supply chains reshaping material pricing and sourcing strategies. This demands granular, region-specific market intelligence for precise cost modeling and strategic decision-making.
The assessment, which currently follows the UK holiday calendar, will follow the Singapore holiday calendar after the proposed change. There will be no change to the publication timing, and the assessment will continue to be published weekly on Wednesdays, at 7pm Singapore time. The purpose of the adjustment is to align the timing to the […]
JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku, Marubeni and Mitsubishi Materials(MMC) inked a deal to integrate MMC's copper concentrate procurement and related products sales business into Pan Pacific Copper (PPC), marking a significant consolidation of Japan's copper concentrate purchasing sector amid persistent pressure from weak treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs).
The publication of Fastmarkets’ assessments of the nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai, and the nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, cif Shanghai for Tuesday May 26 were delayed because of a reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated. The following prices were affected:MB-NI-0143 Nickel min 99.8% full plate premium, in-whs Shanghai, […]
Copper producers, including Atlas Mining, reported higher earnings in the first quarter of 2026 on the back of elevated copper prices, while concentrate output declined at several operations in Chile, Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines due to lower ore grades and disruptions, according to company results reviewed by Fastmarkets.