We could be entering a more inflationary environment for liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices, according to comments by Saad al-Kaabi, Qatari energy minister and chief executive of Qatar Petroleum, as reported by the Financial Times. The problem is the transformational impact US shale producers have had on the energy market. That resulted in a flood […]
Year: 2021
Daimler to spin off trucks division, rebrand as Mercedes-Benz
Ola Källenius, boss of Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler, made some interesting comments this week, as reported in a Financial Times article. The automaker is setting an end-of-decade target for Mercedes-Benz’s profits from its electric vehicles to equal that of its internal combustion engines. Källenius fed the investor market with good news from a brand that managed […]
This Morning in Metals: US steel sector capacity utilization rate dips to 75.2%
This morning in metals news: the US steel sector’s steel capacity utilization rate dipped to 75.2% last week; meanwhile, Tata Steel reported its highest ever consolidated quarterly EBITDA; and, lastly, the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) launched a new campaign advocating for infrastructure investment. Steel capacity utilization down to 75.2% The US steel sector’s capacity […]
Tin market in a squeeze as supply is hard to find
We have said it before, but we are not great fans of using stock levels as a predictor of price trends or even as a proxy for wider physical market metal availability — however, in the case of the tin market, LME stock position is the surest illustration of a market under extreme duress. Tin […]
Copper MMI: Copper demand likely to remain strong well into 2021
The Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) increased for the fourth consecutive month, rising by 1.1%, as copper demand is likely to remain strong this year. Copper prices traded sideways throughout January, which proved to be a slow month for the red metal. Most of its momentum over the past year came from China, which has […]
This Morning in Metals: EIA forecasts renewables share of US electricity generation to double by 2050
This morning in metals news: the Energy Information Administration forecast the renewables share of US electricity generation will double by 2050; meanwhile, the US unemployment rate fell to 6.3% in January; and, lastly, the tin price has bucked the recent general trend for base metals prices. EIA: renewables share of electricity generation to double by […]
Aluminum MMI: US reinstates tariff on aluminum imported from UAE
The Aluminum Monthly Metals Index (MMI) increased by 2.1% this month, as LME aluminum prices traded sideways and the US reinstated the Section 232 aluminum tariff on imports from the United Arab Emirates. U.S. aluminum reinstates aluminum tariff on UAE On Feb. 1, President Joe Biden reinstated the 10% aluminum tariff on imports from the […]
Biden executive orders target climate change, federal procurement of domestic goods
In just over two weeks, President Joe Biden has signed 28 executive orders aimed at a wide variety of issues. The orders range from Medicaid to the country’s pandemic response to augmenting public health supply chains. Relevant to metals, Biden signed two orders aimed at increasing domestic content in federal procurement and the climate crisis. […]
Week in Review: Copper retraces; USCIT rules on Section 232 steel tariff; Vale reaches $7B settlement
Before we head into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the week that was and the metals storylines here on MetalMiner, from steadier metals prices to the United States Court of International Trade’s recent ruling related to a Section 232 steel tariff challenge. Furthermore, Brazilian miner Vale reached a massive settlement two years […]
This Morning in Metals: Miner Vale reaches $7B settlement over Brumadinho disaster
This morning in metals news: Brazilian miner Vale reached a $7 billion settlement with the state of Minas Gerais two years after a fatal dam collapse; the US goods and services deficit decreased in December; and Ford Motor Co. announced an increase in its planned investment in electric and autonomous vehicles. Vale reaches $7B settlement Approximately […]