Here at MetalMiner, we’re not very big fans of manufacturing PMIs. They tend to overstate trends, and month-by-month data can be misleading. This is especially true when trying to extrapolate medium term trends. That said, when taken in conjunction with metal price movements – which are driven more by actual demand than sentiment – PMI’s […]
Stuart Burns
With China Failing, Volatile Metal Prices Could Spill into 2023
There have been a number of dynamics driving metals prices this year. They’ve ranged from the strength of the USD to the war in Ukraine to the still-ongoing energy crisis. However, as with the past two decades, the primary recurring theme remains Chinese demand. As both producer and consumer of most of the world’s major […]
Zhongwang’s Roller Coaster Ride Comes Off the Tracks
Recent aluminum supply news remains inundated with the Zhongwang Holdings controversy. Many remember the case from 2019 when US prosecutors accused six southern California companies of evading aluminum import duties. The organizations had ties to Zhongwang Holding’s owner Liu Zhongtian and the skipped duties came to $1.8 billion total. The prosecutors claimed that between 2011 […]
New Trends in Battery Nickel as EV Demand Rises
Battery original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have enjoyed a clear trend for much of the last decade. In fact, they’ve largely achieved falling per kWh manufacturing costs thanks to two strong dynamics. The first is economies of scale. After all, demand for both consumer electronics and electric vehicles in all forms – hybrid and full EV […]
Overview of Battery Recycling Industry, with Cirba Solutions
The last twelve months proved turbulent for the electrical products market. This is true whether you’re a raw material miner, refiner, manufacturer, or end user. Indeed, ongoing issues with battery metal prices and supply security affected millions. After demand rose dramatically, Chinese battery makers began snapping up resources left and right. This left major automakers […]
Latest Updates on LME Aluminum: Potential Russian Prohibition
Last week, speculators bought up aluminum amid a $100/ton spike following news that LME aluminum may soon exclude Russian materials. The LME continues to review a ban that would keep Russian aluminum, nickel, and copper from the exchange. A Reuters post illustrated the seriousness of the move, stating that Russia’s Nornickel accounted for 7% of global […]
Amid Energy Crisis, German Industry Follows Toilet Paper Manufacturers Down the Drain
An attention-grabbing headline in the Financial Times perfectly illustrates the dire predicament in which Germany’s manufacturing industry finds itself. The title, “Energy crisis leaves Germany’s Toilet Paper Makers Struggling to Clean Up” conjures up all kinds of images. Unfortunately, sky-high power costs continue to deprive Germans of more than sanitary products. From heat and light […]
Metal Prices in Decline
After powering to new highs in the Spring, metal prices continue to slide. Iron ore, aluminum, and copper have all fallen to varying degrees, and those merely represent the largest volumes. Meanwhile, the bulls continue to retreat while demand fears trump supply fears. Prices surged earlier this year based on several predictions. The first was […]
Europe Facing Energy Crisis This Winter
A post in the Financial Times this week reported on comments made by Shell’s chief executive Ben van Beurden. In the article, Ben van Beurden focused mainly on the criticality of Europe’s energy crisis. “That this is going to be somehow easy, or over, I think is a fantasy that we should put aside,” Van Beurden […]
Aluminum Prices Drop Sharply Amid Increasing European Challenges
A curious tug of war continues in the Aluminum industry. It remains focused on likely demand destruction due to recessionary forces, generally blamed on central banks’ rapid raising of interest rates. Of course, we’ve all watched base metals come off sharply since the end of Q1, and Aluminum has been no exception. Indeed, after peaking […]
