The past week or so has seen quite a yo-yo ride for global iron ore prices. Ore futures, including the most-active September contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE), dropped by about 2% on May 8. The reasons for this were twofold: the likely consequences of the U.S.-China trade tariff war, and a demand slowdown […]
Sohrab Darabshaw
China’s Steel Flood: ASEAN Struggles as Exports Surge 32% Overnight
There’s no doubt that China is desperately seeking new markets to hawk its goods and commodities after the U.S. trade tariffs kicked in. This is especially true when it comes to the country’s steel industry. In fact, even prior to the trade war, Beijing was actively looking at expanding its access to steel markets. So, […]
Why Are Russian Pig Iron Imports to Europe Skyrocketing?
Over three years into its invasion of Ukraine, and despite the subsequent sanctions, Russian producers continue to generate significant revenues from exports. This is especially true of metals and minerals, including pig iron and semi-finished steel products, which Russia continues to supply to the European Union. Russian Pig Iron Imports Surged in January In 2024, […]
Is Copper About to Spark a Global Commodities Rally?
Copper was touted as the hottest commodity of 2025, as covered in MetalMiner’s weekly newsletter. Capped by April’s tariff-driven turbulence, the last quarter only reinforced that view. Now it seems copper prices are poised to lead other metals in the short term. Many experts believe copper has reached an inflection point. As such, they expect […]
Iron Ore Defies Tariff Turbulence, But for How Long?
In this season of tariffs and counter-tariffs, the price of one of the most essential raw steelmaking materials seems to be holding up for now. The iron ore price has so far proved mostly immune to the fluctuations. But the question on everyone’s minds is, for how long? Despite the shadow of tit-for-tat customs duties, […]
Is China Using Rare Earths as Its Most Powerful Trade Weapon Yet?
China is once again weaponizing rare earths elements in the tariff war with the United States. According to media reports, China recently suspended the export of certain rare earth minerals, ostensibly while re-drafting the regulations covering such exports. MetalMiner’s weekly newsletter states that if the issue is not resolved soon, both the halt in rare […]
China Just Redrew the Aluminum Map, and the World Is Watching
At a time when analysts expect the global demand for aluminum to rise, a new development in China may significantly impact both aluminum market demand and the country’s internal consumption. That said, market watchers know that any announcement around metals coming out of Beijing these days also has to be looked at through the lens […]
The Global Copper Race Heats Up: India Moves into Zambia’s Mining Sector
Much like neighboring China has been doing for decades, India is now making inroads into the African continent to mine copper reserves, among other mineral assets. It is a move that is sure to shake up the already-competitive international copper market, where multiple nations continue to show significantly increased interest in Africa. Staring in the face […]
Chinese Agency Admits Rare Earth Rule May End, Will the U.S. Seize the Throne?
A rare earth metals report by none other than a state-backed research institute is not only likely to unsettle the Chinese authorities, it has also come as a bolt out of the blue for the rest of the world. A report by the Chinese Academy of Sciences released a few days ago said China’s dominance […]
Aluminum Trade War Heats Up: How Will China and India React to U.S. Tariffs?
The world now waits to see how two aluminum market leaders, China and India, will react to U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on metal imports. Between them, these two nations produce about 50 million metric tons (MT) of aluminum yearly. However, China significantly outpaces India, alone producing about 43 MT per year. […]
