According to an official with the bourse, the London Metal Exchange (LME) is not ruling out the prospect of introducing contracts connected with Category II nickel. This comes despite the incident with the LME nickel contract back in March 2022. “We are focusing on the contract as we have it,” said Robin Martin, the bourse’s […]
Category: Inventory Stock Levels
Renewables/GOES MMI: Index Goes Up, Lithium-Ion Battery Dilemmas
The Renewables MMI (Monthly Metals Index) saw a welcome boost month-on-month, rising 6.27%. Grain-oriented electrical steel, silicon, and neodymium were the main factors that increased the index, while the lithium-ion battery market remains a point of contention. In the case of silicon, futures initially rose back in June due to production cuts within China, the […]
Rare Earths MMI: Burmese Mining Suspension Causes Prices for Rare Earth to Shoot Up
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) witnessed yet another steep increase month-over-month. Indeed, supply disruptions remain a massive concern in the rare earths industry, so rare earth magnets and other materials witnessed renewed bullish strength across the board over recent months. In August, market worries arose prior to a planned environmental inspection of China’s […]
Copper MMI: Copper Prices Trapped in Sideways Trend as Inventories Triple
The Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) moved sideways from August to September, dropping just 1.36%. Copper prices continue to trade sideways within a tight range. Amid a lack of bullish or bearish momentum, prices have failed to establish a breakout. Following a 3.34% decline throughout August, prices slid merely 0.53% during the first three weeks […]
Stainless MMI: Stainless Inventories High, Mill Lead Times Low as Base Prices Hold Firm
The nickel price index continued to trend downward, as it fell to its lowest level since July 2022 by mid-September. Following an over 7% decline during August, prices fell nearly 3% during the first two weeks of September. As prices drop toward historical support zones, they come close to wiping out nearly all gains from […]
Stainless MMI: Outokumpu Looks to Expand After Q2 Drop, Nickel Prices Find Lower High
Although nickel prices rose more than 8% during July, prices found a peak at the beginning of August and fell to create a higher high. Indeed, prices began to retrace downward as bearish patterns became apparent in price action. While prices have yet to substantially break below monthly support or create a new lower low, […]
LME Quotation Anxieties Cause Aluminum Buyers Lose Sleep
MetalMiner actively posts on a variety of metals and market developments. However, we prefer to discuss topics that our clients bring to us, especially those that keep buyers awake at night. One such topic that has been recurring over recent months is the anxiety surrounding the LME aluminum quotation. Specifically, there has been a lot […]
Power Cuts, Low Rainfall Impact Chinese Aluminum Supply, Drive Import Surge
China has significantly increased its reliance on aluminum imports this year due to lower domestic aluminum supply. According to reports, the move is part of a strategic measure to partially offset the below-average output in domestic production. Indeed, new customs data reveals that China saw a notable 10.7% increase in aluminum imports during the first […]
Are Copper Futures REALLY as Bullish as Some Say?
We’ve all heard the story. “The green energy movement will keep copper up!.” But, realistically, how bullish is the long-term outlook for copper? Here at MetalMiner, we’ve pondered this question quite a bit. Ultimately, we’ve come to the conclusion that the copper futures indeed possess a lot of long-term potential. However, is it possible that […]
Do High Russian Aluminum Volumes Call the LME’s Integrity into Question?
(Editor’s Note: This article has been edited and updated since it’s earlier publication to reflect the LME position on Russian origin materials) It’s no news that the London Metal Exchange (LME) has seen a big rise in Russian aluminum inventories in its warehouses. However, the surge in Russian metal remains a source of concern. After […]