The Renewables Monthly Metals Index (MMI) traded flat for this month’s reading, as cobalt prices have surged so far this year. (Editor’s note: This report also includes the MMI for grain-oriented electrical steel, or GOES.) The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers a wealth of knowledge and tips to help buyers stay on top of metals […]
Year: 2021
Global Precious MMI: Gold price hits three-month high as dollar weakens
The Global Precious Monthly Metals Index (MMI) jumped by 7.1% for this month’s index reading, as the gold price gained while the US dollar retraced. More MetalMiner is available on LinkedIn. Gold price up to three-month high After stumbling to around $1,735 per ounce in late February, the gold price has gradually picked up steam. […]
Silver Prices are the Loser in Green Investments
The green agenda has lifted prices across the metals sector. To what extent it has driven physical demand rather than sentiment-driven investor activity — in the form of exchange-traded fund (ETF) buying, stockpiling or exchange position building — is debatable. It’s more of the latter than the former, we would suggest, as the main physical […]
This Morning in Metals: Century Aluminum reports Q1 net loss despite 14% sales jump
This morning in metals news: Century Aluminum released its Q1 financial results; meanwhile, copper prices continue to surge; and natural gas production plummeted during what was a frigid February in the US. The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers a wealth of knowledge to help buyers stay on top of metals markets. Century Aluminum releases Q1 […]
U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Project Cancelation, the Truth
Most of the mainstream press’ coverage of U.S. Steel’s giant Mon Valley plant upgrade project cancelation focuses on several issues, from permitting delays to U.S. Steel stating that a competing steelmaker plans to build a facility in another state. The project, an anticipated $1.5 billion investment across the Mon Valley works sites, would have added […]
Week in Review: Another commodities supercycle?; rising battery demand; European hot rolled coil prices
Before we head into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the week that was and the metals storylines here on MetalMiner, including whether or not we are in a supercycle, rising EV demand and more: MetalMiner should-cost models: Give your organization levers to pull for more price transparency, from service centers, producers and […]
This Morning in Metals: Iron ore prices to remain elevated in 2021
This morning in metals news: MetalMiner’s Stuart Burns weighed in on the outlook for iron ore prices and steel prices throughout the remainder of this year; the unemployment rate was unchanged in April; and the copper price has soared past the $10,000 per metric ton mark. Does your company have a steel buying strategy based […]
Rare Earths MMI: DOE awards rare earths funding; Lynas reports quarterly output
The Rare Earths Monthly Metals Index (MMI) fell by 9.8% for this month’s reading. The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers a wealth of knowledge and tips to help buyers stay on top of metals markets and buying strategies. Biden’s DOE awards $19M in funding for rare earths, critical minerals production initiatives As MetalMiner contributor Sohrab […]
Are we headed for another supercycle?
Some of the merchant banks would have us believe we are in the grip of another supercycle. Certainly, the relentless recovery in commodity prices following last year’s lows appears graphically like a repeat of the relentless rise in prices during the last supercycle in the first part of this century. During that supercycle, support came […]
This Morning in Metals: US nonfarm business sector labor productivity rises 5.4% in Q1
This morning in metals news: nonfarm business sector labor productivity jumped by 5.4% in the first quarter; the CME Group said it will permanently close the trading pits it shut down last March; and US energy production dipped last year. More MetalMiner is available on LinkedIn. US nonfarm labor productivity shoots up in Q1 2021 […]