The Construction Monthly Metals Index (MMI) stemmed last month’s seven-point loss by leveling out for the January 2019 reading. Our Construction MMI sub-index — tracking a basket of industrial metals, materials and other indicators crucial to the construction sector — stayed at a value of 82, holding steady from December’s reading. The constituent metal and material […]
Category: Commodities
New Report: What Falling Oil Prices and Weak U.S. Dollar Mean for Industrial Metals
MetalMiner has just released its January 2019 edition of the Monthly Metal Buying Outlook, in which we explore how the fall in commodities — namely crude oil prices — and the continued weakness of the greenback are driving industrial metals prices. What Happened Over the Last Month? According to the report, Both commodities and base […]
This Morning in Metals: Steel Tariff Exceptions Sowing Confusion, OCTG Market Forecast Looking Good
This morning in metals, we’re tracking the practical effect of the steel tariffs, what China’s recent overall manufacturing slowdown could portend, and a positive outlook for oil and natural gas pipe demand. Steel Tariff Exceptions Being Granted, But Still Confusing Buyers The Wall Street Journal reports that even though “the Commerce Department as of Dec. […]
Will India’s Coal Power Paradox Make the Country More Green?
Few would have predicted this five years ago, but India is facing a real dilemma. It is exacerbated by the country’s predilection for subsidies and set against the backdrop of a chronic power generation landscape. As any regular traveler to India will know, while power outages are not as common as they once were, they […]
Rio Tinto Deploys Autonomous Train Network at Iron Ore Operations
Miner Rio Tinto has deployed what it hails as the “first automated heavy-haul, long distance rail network.” Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook The rail network is guided by what is billed as the world’s largest robot, called AutoHaul. “The safe and successful deployment of AutoHaul™ across our […]
Is the Dollar’s Run Nearing an End?
The dollar has been on a tear this year, boosted by a large corporate tax cut, a hawkish Fed and the imposition of import tariffs, the Financial Times suggests. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook These policy interventions were specifically designed to help Republicans in November’s midterm election, […]
This Morning in Metals: Chinese Steel Prices Continue to Slide
This morning in metals news, prices of Chinese steel and steelmaking ingredients were down Friday, India is in talks with the U.S. over a steel tariff exemption and Japanese crude steel output might be decline in the first quarter of 2019. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook Chinese […]
Week in Review: Russia Sanctions News and the Year in Review
Before we head into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the week that was with some of the stories here on MetalMiner on this final Friday of 2018: Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook MetalMiner’s Stuart Burns touched on the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions announcement vis-a-vis previously […]
This Morning in Metals: London Copper Jumps 1%
This morning in metals news, LME copper jumped 1% Thursday, China Minmetals Corporation will buy over 2 million tons of iron ore from miner Rio Tinto next year and India is challenging a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on its steel safeguard against Japan. Need buying strategies for steel? Request your two-month free trial of MetalMiner’s Outlook LME […]
This Morning in Metals: Shanghai Copper Prices Flatten After Earlier Declines
This morning in metals news, Chinese copper prices held flat Wednesday after drops earlier in the week, Novelis says it sees limited impact from the U.S.’s Section 232 tariff on aluminum and miner Rio Tinto is looking to take its Iron Ore Company of Canada public in early 2019. Need buying strategies for steel? Request […]