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

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

Chilean miner Codelco has increased its United States’ annual copper cathode premium to 3.1 cents per lb for 2020 supply, making it the benchmark’s highest level since 2016, sources close to the matter confirmed to Fastmarkets.

The benchmark premium paid for the supply of aluminium to main Japanese ports (MJP) in the fourth quarter of 2019 has settled at $97 per tonne on a cif basis over the London Metal Exchange cash price.

Adjustments to EU safeguard measures will “stabilize trade flows by containing import concentrations from certain exporting countries,” the European steel association Eurofer said on October 1.

Prices of cobalt metal, salts and hydroxide continued their upward momentum in September, while the chemical prices outperformed amid strong demand incited by concerns of supply tightness following the news on Glencore’s Mutanda mine closure in early August.

Ferro-alloys prices will continue to trade lower going into 2020 amid slowing economic and steel production growth, Fastmarkets analyst, Amy Bennett, told delegates at the North-American Ferro-alloys conference in Chicago last week.

What to read next
Explore the base metals outlook 2026 and learn how market trends are impacting copper, tin, and other metals this year.
Fastmarkets proposes to amend the pricing frequency of its copper grade A cathode premium, delivered Germany; copper grade A cathode premium, cif Leghorn; and copper EQ cathode premium, cif Europe to one a week from the current fortnightly basis, effective December 30.
Find out how copper smelters are addressing demand challenges with innovative strategies at the Resourcing Tomorrow conference.
Explore Mercuria's new African copper joint venture with Gecamines, enhancing copper trade transparency and pricing.
Glencore copper output expected to drop as production difficulties at Collahuasi mine hinder 2026 forecast adjustments.
Explore the latest updates on Rio Tinto copper production, including its ambitious targets for 2025 and 2026.