Metal Bulletin today launches two zinc spot concentrate treatment charge (TC) assessments, delivered to North China and delivered to South China.

While Chinese New Year may have left some markets deflated, it was another busy week for Metal Bulletin’s news teams across the rest of the world.

The first deals for special high-grade zinc supply in 2019 in Europe point to a decline in annual zinc premiums compared with this year's levels, but Nyrstar's financial troubles are complicating negotiations and raising concerns that supply may turn out to be tighter than anticipated.

The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was lower during morning trading on Thursday November 21, dipping below nearby support against fresh inflows of material, while tin’s outright price bucked the downward trend.

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Thursday September 27.

Teck Resources has signed annual zinc concentrate supply deals with European smelters Glencore and Nyrstar with treatment charges (TCs) set at a 12-year low of $147 per tonne, sources with knowledge of the matter confirmed to Metal Bulletin.

The three-month aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange was the underperformer during morning trading on Wednesday October 27, but all the base metals were weaker amid growing macroeconomic headwinds.

Zinc was the worst performer of the base metals traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange during morning trading on Wednesday April 3, with the metal’s prices coming under pressure from macroeconomic headwinds and concerns over a softening concentrate market.

The largest zinc delivery in nearly five years has swung zinc’s London Metal Exchange cash/three-month spread into contango for the first time in 2018.

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mixed during the morning trading session on Thursday November 14, with zinc leading on the downside with a 1.1% drop.