The global rare earth magnets game continues to heat up. Indeed, China, the top global rare earths supplier, seems eager to tighten its hold on the marketplace, especially with trade tensions rising between the country and the West. Meanwhile, the U.S., Australia, and many other nations continue to look for homegrown solutions to rare earths […]
Jennifer Kary
Renewables/GOES MMI: Index Turns Down and Possible EV Trade War?
The Renewables MMI (Monthly Metals Index) remains volatile, especially when it comes to EV battery technology. Starting in August, the index experienced sharp up-and-down movements from month to month. Indeed, between October 1 and November 1, the index dropped 4.22%. Most index components, including grain-oriented electrical steel, dropped, with only a few managing to move […]
Construction MMI: Index Remains Sideways, U.S. Construction Industry Jobs Up
The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) continued to lack strong bullish or bearish pressure month-over-month. Overall, the index only dropped by a minuscule 0.13%. Still, many factors remain at play in the construction industry, which seems to be behind the index components’ steady sideways trends. With the winter months coming, infrastructure construction will likely slow […]
Automotive MMI: UAW Strike Finally Over
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) moved sideways month-over-month, rising in price by just 2.31%. Save for hot-dipped galvanized steel, most parts of the index also traded sideways, mainly due to a lack of strong bullish or bearish pressure. Hot-dipped galvanized proved the only outlier due to steel corporations hiking prices. However, the main headline […]
Rare Earths MMI: Rare Earth Prices Cool Down
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) recently began to cool down following two months of bullish momentum. Altogether, the index dropped by about 3.39%. Many components of the index traded sideways, while some others, like praseodymium neodymium oxide, declined. That said, the index still holds the potential to move back up in the remainder […]
Global Precious Metals MMI: Precious Metal Prices Rise Amid Hamas/Israel War
Last month, the Global Precious Metals MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) finally broke its sideways trend, dropping 3.15%. However, after the Hamas attack on Israel, both gold and silver prices reacted strongly with dramatic increases. Furthermore, surge affected both spot precious metal prices and 3-month futures. This proved a result of investors running to these two […]
Construction MMI: Steel Prices Drop, High Energy Prices Could Impact Construction Output
Month-over-month, the Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) narrowly missed trading completely flat, ultimately moving sideways with just a 0.2% increase. Meanwhile, steel prices, specifically h-beam steel and steel rebar costs, either dropped or traded sideways, as did bar fuel surcharges. Energy have risen at an astounding rate since 2021 due to high inflation and geopolitical […]
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 […]
Construction MMI: Steel Prices Drop & Construction Impact on Steel Demand
Month-over-month, the Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) narrowly missed trading completely flat, ultimately moving sideways with just a 0.2% increase. Meanwhile, steel prices, specifically h-beam steel and steel rebar costs, either dropped or traded sideways, as did bar fuel surcharges. Energy have risen at an astounding rate since 2021 due to high inflation and geopolitical […]
Automotive MMI: Index Moves Down, UAW Strike Escalates
The United Auto Workers strike finally began to take its toll on the Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) as well as month-over-month steel prices. Regarding price drops, hot-dipped galvanized managed to suffer the most. And with the strike continuing to escalate, negotiations stagnating, and more and more layoffs occurring nationwide, the index faces massive bearish […]