The Metal Bulletin news team preview base metals in 2017

Metal Bulletin's price reporters look forward to the major issues and industry trends that face the base metals industry in 2017.

Below are a number of recently published pieces by Metal Bulletin looking forward to the major issues and industry trends that face the base metals industry in 2017. Their regular news and opinions pieces are usually published on the FastMarkets Professional platform as part of our base metals news service. The below news stories are all available on the FastMarkets.com website.

To see our complete news coverage, please click her to take a free trial of FastMarkets Professional. 2017 Metals Preview

Will zinc win popularity contest again or lose to nickel next year?
by Perrine Faye

LME to benefit from volatility surge in ‘structural shift’
By Kathleen Retourne

Japanese aluminium buyers will increase spot exposure in supply contracts
By Ian Walker

Physical trading platforms a new pricing battlefield in China
by Kiki Kang

Copper market preference wavers between benchmark and spot
by Kiki Kang

LME copper longs may tire in Q1; shorting seen as risky
By Kathleen Retourne

Can commodities benefit from China’s real estate curbs?
By Andrea Hotter

Indonesia, Philippines supply issues take centre stage in nickel
by Vivian Teo

Ali premiums could spike again on dwindling availability in Europe
By Jethro Wookey

Zhuzhou makes good on production cuts as Chinese zinc smelters feel the pinch
By Archie Hunter

About the FastMarkets metals news service The FastMarkets platform delivers base metals news and market reports from Metal Bulletin and American Metal Market journalists based across the world.

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What to read next
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.
The amendment follows the decision made on May 14, after a consultation period for the proposed changes which took place between April 3 and May 11. The changes were first proposed in a pricing note published on April 3.  The purpose of the changes is to align the publication times to the activity in the […]
The proposal follows Fastmarkets’ observations that the commodity sees inactive spot liquidity and low volatility in prices. The proposed new specifications for the prices are as follows, with the amendments in italics: MB-NI-0246 Nickel sulfate, cif Japan and Korea, $/tonneQuality: Accepted by buyer for use in battery applications with chemical composition: Ni content, base 22.3% […]
Based on preliminary market feedback, market participants noted that smaller-sized spot market transactions may be skewed and not reflective of the wider market. The aluminium P1020A(MJP), cif Japan, assessment specification which has a minimum tonnage of 100 tonnes will be amended to 500 tonnes after the proposed change. The proposed new specifications are as follows, […]
Fastmarkets consulted the market on the proposed change between April 3 and May 11, 2026. Some feedback was received regarding the publication times of nickel pig iron and laterite ore prices. Fastmarkets will adjust the initially proposed publication times accordingly and proceed with the changes. This decision was first proposed in a methodology note published […]