While the ferro-alloys community prepares to gather in Lisbon, Portugal, Metal Bulletin looks at some of the key topics likely to dominate discussions at this year’s International Ferro-alloys Conference.

The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that originated in China but has since spread to more than 40 countries poses a serious threat to the Chinese nickel market, with demand, and therefore prices, said to be at considerable risk in the short term.

Turkish mills resumed their deep-sea purchases with slightly higher prices during the working week from Monday May 22 to Friday May 26, while other markets were comparatively stable, Metal Bulletin has learnt.

Domestic prices for vanadium products in China in mid-August were showing little change since mid- to late-July this year, with alloy suppliers struggling to hold prices firm amid comparatively stable prices for vanadium pentoxide (V2O5).

Chinese steelmakers are rushing to export their products due to stagnant domestic demand caused by downstream industries struggling to return to work amid the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China.

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board by an average of 0.6% on Tuesday November 13.

China’s domestic and export coke prices extended their upward momentum this month amid healthy demand from Chinese mills and continued restrictions on cokeries.

Primary steel producers in India want the country’s minimum import price (MIP) regime to last beyond August 5, 2016, and to be expanded to include steel products not covered by the current regulations.

The graphite electrodes used in electric-arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking have changed from being a commodity to a strategic material, with prices surging last year amid drastic changes in market conditions, an industry conference has heard.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEx) posted a 73% increase in profit attributable to shareholders in the first half of 2015 to HK$4.10 billion ($527.8 million) due to its commercialisation strategy for the LME, higher trading and clearing fees and increased market activity.