WEEK IN BRIEF: TC/RCs at highest level for 10 months; MJP Al premiums not set; CME volumes outstrip LME

Metal Bulletin looks back at the key moves and market news of the week.

Metal Bulletin looks back at the key moves and market news of the week.

The week kicked off with treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) for copper concentrates hitting their highest levels for ten months.

You can find out what levels the TC/RCs got to, and why, by clicking here.

Meanwhile, the benchmark Main Japanese Port aluminium premiums have still not been set, click here to see why.

On Friday September 19, Metal Bulletin learned that a couple of major producers had settled some contracts at premiums of $420 per tonne as the gap between bids and offers narrowed.

However, in Brazil, premiums took a nudge downwards. Find out why, here.

Metal Bulletin’s premium assessment for P1020A ingot delivered São Paulo region dropped on Thursday September 18, but why?

Continuing on the theme of premiums, it was a good week for lead sellers. Chloe Smith explains.

US-based CME exchange was back in the news this week, with an analysis of futures contracts by Metal Bulletin’s editor Alex Harrison revealing some surprising results.

Which large Chinese firm opened up an office in Singapore this week? Find out here.

Trafigura India’s refined metal store Lykos, which launched in July, exceeded its launch targets and the company will be expanding its operations, the company’s ceo Raoul Bajaj told Metal Bulletin. See what else he had to say, here.

Four major European copper scrap recylers have signed up to a new e-scrap treatment standard, co-produced by Eurometaux and the European Electronics Recyclers Assn, designed to promote environmentally sound recycling processes and curtail the unethical sourcing of e-scrap. But which ones?

A major copper producer’s ceo will step down at the end of March…

…and just who has the LME appointed as head of sales.

Research showed that the world’s 100 largest copper wire and cable makers generated $115 billion in turnover in 2013, up $1.1 billion year-on-year.

In Canada, the country’s proposed bill on conflict minerals moved forward, while Amnesty International gave its view on US trade groups’ court brief.

Sentiment in the minor metals market took a downturn this week, Chloe Smith reports.

And after nickel’s recent rally, taking it to nine-month highs of almost $20,000 per tonne, it came back down with a bump this week, hitting five-month lows below $18,000 per tonne.

James Heywood
editorial@metalbulletin.com

What to read next
Fastmarkets has amended the name of the price assessment for nickel ore 1.8% basis 15-20% Fe water content: 30-35% Si:Mg ratio<2 lot size 50,000 tonnes, cif China. The name of the price has been shortened to nickel ore with 1.8% nickel content, cif China to enhance its readability and alignment with other Fastmarkets nickel ore […]
After a month-long consultation period, Fastmarkets has discontinued this price due to low market liquidity. All short-term forecasts associated with this price (or these prices) produced by the Fastmarkets research team, if any, have also been discontinued. If you have any comments on the discontinuation of this price, please contact Natasha Porter by email at: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please […]
This guide explores current price trends, breaks down the key copper scrap grades and provides a global outlook for 2025.
The amendment to the name of the price assessment for nickel ore 1.8% basis 15-20% Fe water content: 30-35% Si:Mg ratio<2 lot size 50,000 tonnes, cif China has been delayed following a reporter error. Fastmarkets decided to amend the name of the price assessment, shortening it to nickel ore with 1.8% nickel content, following a […]
Navigating LME nickel: A cautious optimism amid bearish sentiment
There’s broad agreement that DeepSeek has upended the artificial intelligence (AI) sector by developing a cutting-edge large language model that uses less computational power, but whether improved AI efficiency cuts demand for copper in the data centers used to power it is a matter of debate.