Zinc producers rarely act in concert to balance the market as prices fall and demand wanes, Metal Bulletin Research analyst Andrew Cole writes.

The legal challenges against the London Metal Exchange’s warehousing regime have spread to the zinc market, with a new US class action suit filed on May 23.

Good morning from Metal Bulletin’s offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday August 23.

Zinc prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were up during morning trading on Thursday March 28, managing to shrug off strength in the US dollar due to metal’s positive fundamentals.

Base metals prices continued to soar higher this morning, Tuesday October 19, with cash prices rising at an even faster pace while shorts are squeezed. Cash copper prices on the London Metal Exchange were evaluated on Monday evening at $1,103.50 per tonne.

Nyrstar places the zinc concentrate market at a “turning point” and expects treatment charges (TCs) to increase in 2018, chief executive officer of Nyrstar, Hilmar Rode, said in a conference call after the company released its annual results today.

Metal Bulletin proposes to launch two treatment charge (TC) assessments to cover the Chinese domestic zinc concentrate market.

After recording 17.3% losses on its recommendation to buy June 2012 LME copper, Goldman Sachs has ‘reset’ its long call on the market at the December 19 price of $7,274 per tonne.

Shares in Australian zinc tailings processor New Century Resources halted trading on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on Monday February 5, with the company set to announce offtake partners for the next three years of production.

Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mostly up at the close of the morning trading session on Monday January 6, with the complex partly buoyed by the return of participants following year-end holidays and positive trade headlines.