Market insights

Search all the latest market insights and coverage

US mills not yet capturing green steel premiums seen in Europe and Asia

Collecting a premium for green flat-rolled steel in the US will be a long, bottom-up process for an industry already regarded as one of the world’s cleanest, market sources recently told Fastmarkets

May 16, 2024
·
By Daniel Hilliard

Insights
US exports offshore bounced off historic lows in first quarter

Explore the dynamic shifts in the US lumber export market and discover how global trends are influencing trade flows

May 16, 2024
·
By the Fastmarkets team

Insights
Copper fabricators reeling from higher copper prices, some request copper cathode shipment postponement

Copper fabricators in China and the wider Southeast Asian region continue to feel the pain of high copper prices on futures exchanges and a lack of new orderbooks, with some having already asked for a postponing of shipments of long-term copper cathodes, sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Wednesday May 15

May 15, 2024
·
By Sally Zhang

Insights
US to impose 25% import tariffs on Chinese rare earth magnets in 2026

The US government announced on Tuesday May 14 that new Section 301 import tariffs will be imposed on a wide range of Chinese products and materials, including electric vehicles, steel and aluminium, semiconductors, batteries, solar cells and permanent magnets

May 15, 2024
·
By Caroline Messecar

Insights
Proposal to amend carbon emission specifications for green steel assessments

Fastmarkets proposes to lower the threshold for the carbon emissions content for its weekly green steel premium and daily inferred green steel price in Europe.

May 14, 2024
·
By Julia Bolotova

Insights
Graphite remains on European Commission’s CRMA strategic list but ‘resilient’ supply chain still needed

This legislation emphasizes the crucial role of graphite in electrification efforts and highlights the ongoing significance of both natural and synthetic graphite in the EU's green transition journey

May 14, 2024
·
By Dalila Ouerghi

Insights
Current US SAF tax credits do not incentivize production, says Aemetis CEO

During Aemetis' quarterly earnings presentation, CEO Eric McAfee highlighted the inadequacies of current US tax credits for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and emphasized the need to extend Section 40B.

May 14, 2024
·
By Wendy Dulaney

Insights
Standard Lithium enters partnership agreement with energy multinational Equinor

Standard Lithium announced on Wednesday May 8 that it was forming a partnership with the multinational energy company Equinor to accelerate the development of its South West Arkansas and East Texas lithium brine projects in the United States

May 14, 2024
·
By Yasemin Esmen

Insights
Soybean commentary: Futures rebound despite higher USDA stocks forecast

Soybean front-month July futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) rebounded on Friday May 10 with support from soybean oil and despite estimates of ample offer and ending stocks for the 2024/25 crop in the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report.

May 13, 2024
·
By the Fastmarkets team

Insights
Automotive industry experts split over role of e-fuels

The viability of e-fuels as an alternative to electric power is debated due to their high cost and unclear role in decarbonization efforts

May 13, 2024
·
By Dalila Ouerghi

Insights

Top stories across markets

Glencore to buy Li-Cycle’s Rochester hub MHP production; agreement could help recycler secure DOE loan

Li-Cycle announced on Thursday October 31 that it had entered an agreement with Glencore to sell 100% of the premium nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) production at its stalled hub in Rochester, New York – a step that could support Li-Cycle’s efforts to finalize a loan with the US Department of Energy (DOE).

November 6, 2024

By: Kirstyn Petras

Copper smelters to face tough time in 2025

Unprecedented supply tightness and record low treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) are likely to challenge copper smelters in 2025 – even more than in 2024, sources told Fastmarkets.

November 6, 2024

By: Albert MacKenzie

Key insights on Canadian housing starts: A 2024 overview

Read about the fluctuations in Canadian housing starts, the factors influencing the market and their implications for real estate in Canada.

November 6, 2024

By: Gary Zauner

Election 2024: What US steel market participants are saying

The polls officially opened in the US on Tuesday November 5 for the presidential election pitting incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

November 5, 2024

By: Fastmarkets Staff

Key topics and special interest hubs

Browse our special interest content hubs to get deeper insights into the biggest issues across commodity markets

2025 outlooks

Trade policies

Critical minerals

Green steel

Recycling batteries

Electric car charge sign with wind turbines on background

Supply chains

Procurement insights

Methodology

We recognize the importance of being clear about our price assessment and index process. Our independently audited pricing process aligns with core IOSCO principles. Find out how our price reporters and analysts assess and forecast prices in agriculture, forest products and metals

Learn more

Fast Forward podcast

The definitive podcast for the critical minerals and battery raw materials markets. From uncovering market secrets to predicting future trends using Fastmarkets forecasting data, we’ve got you covered.

Subscribe now

Hotter Commodities

In Hotter Commodities, special correspondent Andrea Hotter cuts to the chase on the biggest stories impacting the natural resources sector, what it means for the markets, the key risks and opportunities.

Find out more

Fastmarkets combines the commodity intelligence of these familiar names:

Metal Bulletin • American Metal Market • Scrap Price Bulletin • Industrial Minerals • RISI • FOEX • The Jacobsen • Agricensus • Palm Oil Analytics • Random Lengths • Hardwood Market Report
• FastMarkets and more

Talk to us

Whether you’re interested in learning how to become a customer from our sales teams or looking to get in touch with one of our reporters, we’re here for you.

Speak to our team

Why use a price reporting agency?

Navigate uncertainty and make business decisions with confidence using our price data, forecasts and critical intelligence.

Learn more

Our insights

Discover our global market insights into commodity markets. See what's trending in the agriculture, forest products, metals and mining and new generation energy markets.