Our apologies for the delay in posting this week’s MetalMiner Stainless Steel Market Pulse results. We have a bag of mixed messages on the demand side of the equation with survey respondents reporting shorter lead times (a signal of weaker demand) and lower backlog but rising raw material costs driving some price increases as reported [...]
In spite of Europe’s long tradition of promoting fuel efficiency and setting greenhouse gas emissions it is the US that is likely to lead the emergence of electric cars as a means of mass transportation, according to research by McKinsey and covered in a FT article. Indeed as Nissan and GM are about to launch [...]
For much of this year, MetalMiner has written extensively on ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) as they relate to PGM (precious metals), REE (rare earth elements) and now base metal ETFs. But before ETFs, came futures markets that for many metal-buying organizations remain very much a black box risk management tool. Though many metal buying organizations [...]
A recent article in WalesOnline is one of many that have covered research being done at the UK’s Swansea University in cooperation with Corus (now Tata) Steel, photovoltaic (PV) specialists Dyesol and others into the possibility of coating steel sheets at the point of manufacture with materials that will generate electricity essentially making the steel [...]
Coking coal prices have been relatively steady these last few months but a number of factors are likely to converge to force a small rise in integrated steel producers coking coal costs early next year. Reuters covered the impact of the weak dollar on coal producers profit margins and the upward pressure this is putting [...]
There, I said it! I feel better already. I’ve been thinking about it for over a year, but the “rare earth scare has prevented me from saying so. I have a vested interest in wanting to see the rare-earth community develop and flourish after all, many of our loyal readers are key buyers of these [...]
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the big picture that it becomes tough to see the small things that we can appreciate on a day-to-day basis. Below is a roundup of some attention grabbing metal devices that may have flown under the radar, but can definitely make our lives just a little bit easier [...]
It reads like a story from the last decade - China and India hardly feature and manufacturers are warning of problems caused by supply chain disruption due to demand outstripping supply. Shortages ensue as demand rapidly returns and vicious cost cutting last year hampers the ability of sub suppliers as they try to ramp up [...]
