Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board by an average of 0.7% on the morning of Thursday November 15.

Turkish steel producers are unfairly being subjected to a host of protectionist measures by other countries looking to support their own steel mills, according to the Turkish Steel Exporters Assn.

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were in a steadier tone so far on Wednesday September 12, after they closed broadly lower on Tuesday amid dollar strength and rising trade war concerns.

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).

Base metals prices had a strong start to the trading week after a solid close on Monday April 16. Two metals dominated the headlines yesterday: the London Metal Exchange’s three-month aluminium price continued its vertical surge, while nickel closed above $14,000 per tonne amid growing concerns that the United States could implement additional sanctions on Russia.

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.

Both China and the CIS region have been less active in the steel billet markets over the past week, but Iran has shown more activity in the semi-finished product trade, amid a generally positive mood.

A rally in iron ore prices at the end of last week, spurred by an unexpected cut in Chinese interest rates, has failed to provide any real boost to the faltering price of the raw material.

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.

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.