Steel Industry leader British Steel is set to start consultations on permanently blowing down the operating blast furnaces at Scunthorpe. The move comes after the company failed to reach an agreement with the UK government on financial aid for conversion to green steelmaking. “Since 2020, the shareholder of British Steel, Jingye, has invested more than […]
Category: Commodities
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 […]
Historical Price Trends for Industrial Metals Over the Past Decade
Over the last ten years, industrial metal prices have gone on a wild ride, rising, falling and rising again, thanks to everything from global economic swings to supply chain hiccups and geopolitical drama. If you’re in manufacturing, investing, or policy, keeping tabs on these price trends isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Steel Historical Price Trends […]
Fire Erupts at Salzgitter Plant: Hot Rolled Coil Production Grinds to a Halt
German flats producer Salzgitter recently announced a force majeure on hot rolled strip following a fire at its Lower Saxony site. A March 4 letter to steel industry customers indicated that a fire resulted in the suspension of production at the company’s hot strip mill. According to reports circulating in German media, a restart of […]
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. […]
Global Precious Metals MMI: Gold Steals the Show Again With New Record Highs
The Global Precious Metals MMI (Monthly Metals Index) moved sideways month-over-month, rising a slight 2.69%. Many precious metals prices saw dynamic shifts from February to March. Gold raced toward historic highs amid elevated tariff uncertainty and bets on the U.S. Federal Reserve policy easing. Meanwhile, silver also climbed to multi-month highs on safe-haven demand and […]
Aluminum MMI: How Have Aluminum Tariffs Impacted the Market?
The Aluminum Monthly Metals Index (MMI) remained sideways with an upward bias. Overall, the index rose 1.16% from February to March, supported by modest increases in global aluminum prices. Midwest Premium Futures Stall after Aluminum Tariffs The aluminum market has started to settle following a sharp uptrend in U.S. premiums that began late last year. […]
Stainless MMI: Outokumpu Cuts Discounts, Nickel Prices Rise
The Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) remained sideways, supported by modest increases among most of its components. The index rose by a modest 0.56% from February to March. Meanwhile, nickel prices continued their uptrend. Outokumpu Reduces Stainless Steel Discounts Outokumpu closed out February announcing reductions to a number of stainless steel discounts. Beginning March 1, […]