New physicals premiums report: The only all-in-one report for global base metal premiums

Fastmarkets’ flagship report, the weekly base metal physical premiums table, has just become even more valuable as a reference tool. Eight years after producing the first weekly table and following Fastmarkets’ merger with Metal Bulletin, we are now able to incorporate industry benchmarks to produce the most comprehensive and easy-to-read premiums report in the industry.

We now publish 102 spot base metal premiums alongside a short commentary under the Metal Bulletin banner in a single report every Tuesday – now called the “Weekly Base Metals Premiums Report”. No other price reporting agency in the world carries this much authoritative information about this niche sector. The report is compiled by a team of 15 dedicated base metals pricing reporters in Singapore, Shanghai, London, the USA and Brazil, each making tens of calls to sources across the supply chain: producers, consumers, traders and brokers.

It contains the MB Rotterdam aluminium benchmarks, the Fastmarkets Shanghai copper ER and SX-RE references, US Midwest premiums for all six base metals and plenty of other key prices. It really does combine the best of Fastmarkets and Metal Bulletin premiums in a single report. We have kept the table template that has proved so popular at Fastmarkets and continue to write short notes within the report for each of the 102 prices. In addition, we publish a longer physical market commentary – now called the “Weekly Base Metals Premiums Roundup” – on the Fastmarkets website. This provides a thorough but concise summary of fluctuations and trends in base metals premiums.

The report is now in line with IOSCO principles, which require pricing processes and methodologies to be fully transparent and auditable. This is a huge step in supporting the use of our prices in supply contracts. We will also continue to publish regular reports on aluminium billet and foundry alloy premiums as well as copper, zinc and lead treatment charges along with Metal Bulletin’s various scrap and alloy prices on other days of the week.

But Tuesdays have become the crucial pricing day for Metal Bulletin’s base metals premiums – and should get a central place in the industry’s diary too. Perrine Faye,

Global Base Metals Editor
Metal Bulletin

On Tuesday 17th January, Fastmarkets published the new-look weekly physicals report for global base metal premiums. 

Facts about the new report: 

• The Metal Bulletin-branded report covers copper, aluminium, nickel, lead, zinc and tin premiums across the globe
• Each report is accompanied by an extensive commentary on the factors affecting the price changes
• It reports over 100 weekly assessments for base metals
• It is compiled by 15 base metals reporters located across the globe
• It includes the Metal Bulletin Rotterdam aluminium benchmarks, the Fastmarkets Shanghai copper ER and SX-RE references and US Midwest premiums for all six base metals
• The report is compliant with IOSCO principles
• The report includes 41 premiums available with a Metal Bulletin subscription and 61 premiums exclusive to the Fastmarkets platform
• The only place you can subscribe to the full report is on the Fastmarkets platform.

You can request a copy of the new physicals premiums report by completing this online form, emailing sales@fastmarkets.com or calling one of our regional office numbers below.

Request a report