OPEC+’s production cuts have been pretty successful at steadying the oil price this year. First, the cuts steadied the market. Furthermore, rising prices came in the face of oversupply and a pandemic-induced collapse in demand. However, the alliance of producers remains far from a solid coalition. The MetalMiner 2021 Annual Outlook consolidates our 12-month view […]
Stuart Burns
India takes steps to restrict copper, aluminum imports
FurAccording to the Indian Financial Express, the country is intending to take a leaf out of the European Union’s book and introducing an import surveillance scheme for aluminum and copper imports. Does your company have an aluminum buying strategy based on current aluminum price trends? India’s rising copper, aluminum imports Like the E.U.’s scheme, the […]
Iron ore price falls, but is it a pause before further rises or the top?
An article in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) underlines the bullish narrative accompanying the iron ore price’s performance this year. “Chinese steel consumption has just blown consensus out of the water this year,” the report notes, citing analyst comments, adding, “The macro backdrop, in terms of China, is very strong for all commodity consumption, and […]
Renminbi gains strength against the U.S. dollar
For buyers purchasing goods and materials from China, an unwelcome trend over the summer has been gradual gains in the Renminbi’s (RMB) strength. We’re offering timely emails with exclusive analyst commentary and some best practice advice – and you choose how often you receive it. Sign up today. RMB gains against the dollar The Chinese […]
Tata Group in negotiations with U.K. over possible state bailout
Despite talks of negotiations over a potential Tata Group bailout in the U.K., the Indian firm has proved itself a generally good steward of the businesses it has purchased in the U.K. over the years. In hindsight, its purchase of Jaguar Land Rover from Ford for U.S. $2.3 billion in June 2008 was a steal. […]
Copper is outperforming other metals
A fair part of the bull story for copper this year has been supply-side fears. The world’s largest mines are in South America, which has suffered from catastrophic levels of coronavirus infections. True, China’s recovery has played a role in the booster’s case. So have the role of copper in the growing electric vehicle (EV) […]
India’s economy struggles as coronavirus cases rise
India faces a dilemma — the country has the second-highest coronavirus caseload in the world at 4.2 million people and its economy is struggling. India overtook Brazil this week, as it reported a record 90,000+ new cases on Saturday and nearly 92,000 on Sunday. Yet, despite surging infections, India desperately needs to get its economy […]
Europe’s metals industry seeks a level environmental playing field
Despite the economic and political challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic, the European metals industry is becoming increasingly vocal in trying to form the arguments around its own survival. Are you under pressure to generate aluminum cost savings? Make sure you are following these 5 best practices! Making the case A recent article in […]
The case for firmer steel scrap prices
Pandemic-related lockdowns constrained the global scrap market earlier this year. Consequently, operations were restricted or closed down. But even as containments have eased, the market has been slow to come back — resulting in rising prices for steel and base metal scrap over the summer. Stop obsessing about the actual forecasted steel price. It’s more […]
India struggles with the double whammy of a pandemic, economic shock
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the Indian economy, as detailed by the Financial Times in an article covering the country’s response to the challenges posed by the pandemic. Want MetalMiner directly in your inbox? Sign up for weekly, monthly or quarterly updates now. Q2 contractions for India, other large economies India’s […]
