Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange are for the most part consolidating this morning, Wednesday August 23, with three-month copper prices off by 0.1% at $6,582 per tonne, while zinc prices are up by 0.4% and nickel prices are off by 0.4%. Volume has been average with 8,662 lots traded as of 06:43 BST.

Concern started to spread in the global steel markets this week that trade with Iran is at risk since US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that his country will withdraw from the nuclear-power deal with the Middle Eastern state.

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were up across the board on Friday December 7, with average gains of 0.6%. But trading remained choppy while market participants await greater direction.

Last Thursday’s brief correction in metals prices was just a pause in what is turning into a strong rally, with the three-month base metals prices traded on the London Metal Exchange up by an average of 0.6% on the morning of Monday February 25.

Disappointing Chinese economic data has weighed on the three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange this morning, Friday December 14, with all the metals in negative territory and showing average losses of 0.4%.

Three-month base metals prices are up an average of 0.5% on the London Metal Exchange this morning, Tuesday May 2, with aluminium and lead prices slightly weaker while the rest are up between 0.3% for tin prices and 1.4% for zinc prices, with copper prices up 0.7% at $5,777 per tonne.

Base metals prices are down across the board this morning, Monday March 20, with prices off an average of 0.7%, led by a 1% drop in three-month nickel prices to $10,170 per tonne, while copper prices are off 0.7% at $5,892 per tonne.

Taiwan’s Feng Hsin Steel has decided to revamp its operations and cut production costs instead of resorting to importing low-priced billet from China like some of its peers have been doing.

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange continued to give mixed performances this morning, Thursday November 22.

During the past couple of years, US steelmakers, especially on the carbon flat-rolled side, have been consistently reporting better margins, albeit after a horrendous 2015 when falling demand was exacerbated by high import volumes.