The cobalt price index fell below $26,000 per tonne as of April 2023, its lowest level since 2019. Indeed, while cobalt demand remains largely steady, there has been a significant increase in supply. Meanwhile, analysts expect the demand for refined cobalt, frequently used in rechargeable batteries, to increase by 8% to 205,000 tonnes by 2023. […]
Jennifer Kary
Renewables/GOES MMI: Slowing Economy Could Impact Renewable Energy Companies’ Projects
The Renewables MMI (Monthly Metals Index) dropped by 3.65% between March and April. This represents the index’s most significant drop since November 2022. Despite this, the index still has yet to break out of its sideways trend. However, the falling economy continues to keep both renewable energy companies and investors on edge. The Inflation Reduction […]
Construction MMI: Infrastructure Construction Remains Robust, Private Projects Feeling Recession Pains
The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) narrowly missed trading flat. Overall, the index remained sideways, with just a minuscule drop of 0.13%. In the face of recent construction news, the index proved much less volatile than in the past three months. All three bar fuel surcharges within the index (Weekly Gulf Coast, Weekly Rocky Mountain, […]
Automotive MMI: HDG, Palladium and Shredded Scrap Steel Prices Jump
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) rose significantly from March to April, jumping by 9.01%. This represents the highest rise the index has seen in over a year. Numerous drivers helped bring prices up, with every part of the index rising month-over-month, including: The steel parts of the index (in particular HDG) followed trend with […]
Rare Earths MMI: Prices Plunge, Flatten, Then Rise
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) dropped drastically again this month, suffering a 15.5% decline. Despite this, downward price action began to slow down and flatten around March 16. As of March 30, prices began to rise again. Further adding to the confusion was the fact that some components in the index traded flat. […]
How Can Steel Procurement Professionals Survive a Recession?
The irony is not lost on steel buyers when they hear the phrase “the cold, hard truth.” After a massive spike at the beginning of March, HRC, CRC, and HDG steel prices are finally losing momentum. However, as any savvy procurement professional knows, they are not out of the woods yet. Recession indicators continue to […]
Construction MMI: Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Spills into Construction Industry
Month-over-month, the Construction MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) broke out of its sideways trend and rose amid both positive and negative construction news. For instance, bar fuel surcharges dropped, but h-beam steel and U.S. shredded scrap steel went up slightly. And while some sources report a rise in global rebar prices, others suggest steel rebar futures […]
Renewables/GOES MMI: Steel Prices Rise, Experts Doubt Solar Energy Efficiency
After holding a pretty steady sideways trend since October, the Renewables MMI (Monthly MetaMiner Index) decreased by a considerable 8.56%. Indeed, multiple components of the index trended downward, including cobalt, neodymium, and silicon. Meanwhile, Chinese silicon costs continue to drop due to overcapacity. Other reasons for the drop included multiple silicon producers coming online and […]
Automotive MMI: are Lithium Supplies Threatened by Supply Shortages?
Similar to the past six months, the Automotive MMI for March was again pulled in multiple directions. Hot dipped galvanized prices rose again, following the same trend as HRC and CRC. However, Chinese lead prices dropped significantly, pulling the index down. This was mainly due to car sales shrinking within China (the world’s top market). […]
Rare Earths MMI: China Losing Grip on Rare Earths Control
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) dropped a staggering 11.22% this past month. Industrial production within China proved slow in January. This significantly affected the index, as China remains the source of many rare earth oxides. And with numerous countries searching for non-Chinese rare earth supplies, the Chinese-sourced parts of the index fell greatly. […]
