Some commentators were calling the imminent collapse of the aluminum price last month — certainly, it tested the bottom of its recent range, at just below $2,000 per metric ton on the LME. Buying Aluminum in 2018? Download MetalMiner’s free annual price outlook But the price has since rallied and is currently range bound between […]
Stuart Burns
Why Are We Relaxed About a Possible Trade War with China?
The markets appear strangely relaxed about the growing economic and political standoff between the U.S. and China. Maybe because it has been a slow burn over the last six months or maybe because no one quite believes either side would be stupid enough to allow a full-blown trade war to develop, but markets are generally […]
Rusal Sanctions Deadline Looming
As the Oct. 23 deadline approaches, the aluminum market is taking no risks on continued supply from Russia’s Rusal, Reuters reports. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook The industry traditionally gets together in Berlin this week to negotiate annual supply contracts for 2019 with billet makers, rolling mills […]
Shale Gas Expansion is Slowing
To be fair, not all shale gas drilling is slowing, but in the Permian Basin, which has seen the most incandescent growth in recent years, according to the Financial Times, growth is slowing markedly, according to Schlumberger, Halliburton and the U.K.’s Weir Group – all majors suppliers to, or active players in, the fracking industry. Need […]
Argentina’s Latest Financial Crisis: Have We Been Here Before?
Argentina is not exactly Venezuela, but you could be forgiven for shaking your head at the sheer ineptitude of Argentinian politicians who have presided over yet another economic crisis and have been forced to go to the IMF yet again for a $50 billion bailout. Need buying strategies for steel? Try two free months of […]
Russian Sanctions Remain a Threat to Metals Markets
Following Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2014 — the Ukrainian crisis, as it became known as — a number of countries imposed sanctions on Russia led by the United States and Europe, but supported by many others like Canada, Australia and Japan. Buying Aluminum in 2018? Download MetalMiner’s free annual price outlook The […]
European Steel Producers Performing Well Despite Tariffs, Political Turmoil
European steel producers have rarely had it so good— that’s not a statement you would expect to hear describing what has been a horribly cyclical industry that has struggled with overcapacity, political interference and significant legacy costs (such as expensive pension funds). At the same time, the European market has been flooded with cheap imports […]
Stakes Rise as U.S.-Canada NAFTA Talks Approach Deadline
Today is supposedly crunch time for negotiations between the U.S. and Canada to reconfigure the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). With the imminent departure of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, a deadline of this Friday has been set to conclude a deal or Mexico and the U.S. have threatened they will go it alone. […]
Trump Follows Reagan into Space
You never quite know with Donald Trump whether a new announcement is a case of international headline grabbing or whether the true motivation is the financial deal. Need buying strategies for steel? Try two free months of MetalMiner’s Outlook But the president’s push for the U.S. to create a sixth branch of the armed forces […]
Turkey’s Disproportionately Large Steel Sector Heavily Impacted by Tariffs
Turkey may not be a big cheese in many ways, but its currency has taken a hammering following President Donald Trump’s threats of doubling tariffs and dire sanctions against a select few individuals close to authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. But apart from the impact on one or two other emerging-market currencies, like South Africa’s, […]
