October 2008

China Tries to Boost Domestic Consumption

by Stuart Burns on October 28, 2008

Style:    Category: Ferrous Metals, Macroeconomics, Non-ferrous Metals, Supply & Demand

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China has been the main driver of demand this decade for the rise in copper, aluminum, steel and a host of other metals many of which are used in vast quantities by the country’s construction industry. To what extent the drop in metal prices in China has been due to the slump in housing starts [...]

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The Traders’ Dilemma

by Stuart Burns on October 28, 2008

Style:    Category: Non-ferrous Metals

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Classic trader wisdom says cut your losses and run your profits, not too hard a dictum to follow when moderate volatility is buffeting the market but what should scrap dealers (and indeed any metals distributors) do in today’s market? Metal prices have collapsed over the last few weeks. Copper has dropped from $2.85 lb to [...]

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Mexico: 10% Steel Price Hike

by Lisa Reisman on October 27, 2008

Style:    Category: Ferrous Metals, Global Trade

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I still find it mind-boggling that if you fly an hour and a half from Chicago to Canada, you can land in a city that resembles something closer to Europe than to any city in America. I’m talking of Montreal of course. So it’s shocking to me that the price for steel in El Paso [...]

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Layoffs for Production Supervisors in Mexico

by Lisa Reisman on October 27, 2008

Style:    Category: Global Trade, Macroeconomics, Supply & Demand

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Later today we will be publishing a story on steel prices within the Mexican market place and how they could potentially affect US buyers. With markets going haywire I like to check in with our contacts in other countries to “get the lay of the land,” so to speak. So when I caught up with [...]

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Australia Goes Electric

by Stuart Burns on October 27, 2008

Style:    Category: Product Developments

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It will be interesting to see the extent to which Better Place’s Australian venture to create an electric car re-charging infrastructure maintains momentum in the face of a falling oil price, a tight credit market and slump in consumer demand for any costly new purchases. The firm already has funding for projects in Israel and [...]

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2009: Iron Ore Surplus; Steel Prices to Fall Further

by Stuart Burns on October 24, 2008

Style:    Category: Ferrous Metals

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Bloomberg reported that China, the world’s largest iron ore consumer, said the global market for iron ore will be in surplus in 2009. This is one year earlier than expected, as the credit crisis slows economic growth and orders from steelmakers. The China Iron & Steel Association said at a recent conference in Qingdao that all [...]

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Too Little Time, Too Much Nickel for 2009 Forecasts

by Lisa Reisman on October 24, 2008

Style:    Category: Supply & Demand

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Earlier this month, Lisa borrowed a quote from Yogi Berra to warn that nickel “ain’t worth a dime” anymore. According to new studies, the nickel market can’t expect much improvement during 2009. The International Nickel Study Group recently forecasted a nickel surplus to ring in the next year, and the surplus will last longer than any [...]

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Civil Unrest, 8% and the Metals Super-Cycle

by Lisa Reisman on October 23, 2008

Style:    Category: Commodities, Global Trade, Macroeconomics

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Last week, Stuart offered a thoughtful piece on metals prices and when to buy. The gist of that article really had to do with the demand numbers inside China. Stuart predicted that the Chinese government will do everything in its power to stimulate growth, primarily through infrastructure development to keep that growth alive mainly to [...]

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