Similar to the past six months, the Automotive MMI for March was again pulled in multiple directions. Hot dipped galvanized prices rose again, following the same trend as HRC and CRC. However, Chinese lead prices dropped significantly, pulling the index down. This was mainly due to car sales shrinking within China (the world’s top market). […]
Category: Automotive
Automotive MMI: 2023 Could Bring More Car Parts Shortages
The Automotive MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) traded sideways for the second month in a row, rising by just 2.65%. The automotive index was impacted heavily by China rescinding zero-COVID restrictions, which caused a spike in cases. However, Chinese-sourced lead and HDG steel prices rose significantly, pulling the index upward. The overall volatility in metals used […]
Automotive MMI: Interest Rates Move Up, Consumer Demand Moves Down
The Automotive MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) finally broke its downward trend and traded sideways, inching up by 2.53%. Meanwhile, myriad factors continue to pressure metal prices. The demand for vehicles among consumers remains strong. However, low inventories throughout most of 2022 placed a huge strain on the index. Without parts, the manufacturing of new vehicles […]
Automotive MMI – Car Demand Growing, but Steel Supply Strained
The MetalMiner Automotive MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) dropped substantially in October, dipping by 9.08%. Manufacturing limitations due to energy shortages and smelter shutdowns remain the ongoing trend in car manufacturing. However, consumer demand for cars, especially in the US, still holds firm. This leaves many in the automotive industry trying to find a balance between […]
Automotive MMI – Supply Shrinks, Demand Rises
The September Automotive MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) traded sideways, falling a modest 2.13%. The same issues continue to affect manufacturing: rising demand and too few resources. Car Manufacturing Supply Chain Woes Supply chain shortages remain a persistent problem for the global automotive industry. Indeed, many companies are still struggling to find the necessary parts and […]
Tesla Shows Why Procurement Needs To Keep An Eye On Cash Flow
Recently, the MetalMiner team shared a laugh over BMW’s announcement that it would introduce a “subscription service” in certain markets for the use of their cars’ heated seats. While some of us remain avid BMW aficionados, whether or not customers will pay for the right to warm their seat remains unclear. This brings us cash […]
Automotive MMI: Industrial Metal Supply Woes, EV Demand Grows
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) experienced another decline from June to July. After a -6.53 drop last month, the 30-day price change jumped to -7.77%. As with the previous months, the automotive industrial metal marketplace has been plagued by problems. Curiously enough, it’s supply – not demand – that can’t make any headway towards […]
Automotive MMI: Lower Metals Prices and Slumping Supply Dominate the May Market
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) experienced a slight decline from May into June. The 30-day price change was roughly -9.55, a -6.52% drop. As with last month, multiple crises impacted the marketplace’s overall health. Among them are an ongoing microchip shortage and COVID-19 lockdowns. Below, we’ll discuss if and when we can expect normalization. […]
Is the Battery Metals Gold Rush Really Over?
The term battery metals typically refers to lithium, nickel, and cobalt. The name stems from the fact that the three metals are frequently used in the production of all types of modern batteries. Since 2021, these metals have enjoyed a rather lengthy bull run. This has proved profitable for investors and provided some much-needed predictability […]
Automotive MMI: Auto Sector Remains Constrained
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) held flat from April to May. This was largely the result of a number of factors working in concert. Below, we’ll dig deeper into the automotive marketplace to see if we can determine what to expect for the rest of 2022. Automotive MMI: China Auto Sales, Production Plunge In […]