Several steel mills in central and southern Turkey have suspended operations, declaring force majeure. The decision comes after two earthquakes struck those areas and Syria on February 6. Flats and longs producer Isdemir, in Iskenderun, Hatay Province, said in a February 13 announcement that it is currently performing assessments. “Production has been suspended until the […]
Category: Commodities
Stainless MMI: Nickel Prices Return Sideways
The Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) rose 5.82% from January to February as the nickel price index lost upward momentum. Nickel prices returned sideways in the short term after finding a peak in January. Since the price has not bounced high enough to confirm an uptrend, downside risk may increase. Meanwhile, volume levels appear at […]
Automotive MMI: Car Inventories Return, but Consumers Do Not
The Automotive MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) rose slightly higher than in previous reports. Month-over-month, the index went up by 5.08%. Automobile inventories may be rising, but consumers are much more reluctant to purchase than they were six months ago. With interest rates still climbing, more and more consumers continue to steer away from vehicle purchases. […]
Raw Steels MMI: U.S. Steel Prices Continue Uptrend
U.S. steel prices continue to rise amid ongoing price hikes from domestic steelmakers. The ascent for HRC prices accelerated throughout January as they jumped by over 10%. Meanwhile, plate prices returned sideways with a modest month-over-month rise of just under 2%. Of course, this came after prices traded down throughout December. Overall, the Raw Steels […]
Aluminum Shortage Coming? U.S. Considers 200% Tariff on Russian Aluminum
A potential aluminum shortage could be rearing its ugly head once again. This will prove especially true if the U.S. goes ahead with a proposed move to shut out all Russian aluminum unilaterally. Currently, the plan is to accomplish this via a tariff of up to 200%. Thus far, Russian metal producers have largely evaded […]
China and Peru Place Drag on Copper Prices
Hopes of a recovery in copper prices seem to have flat-lined since the start of February. The primary reason for this is lukewarm demand from China, one of the world’s biggest copper consumers. This effectively ends the price surge markets saw over the past few months, culminating at the end of January. Initially, the optimism […]
Administration Forces UK Steel Manufacturer Aartee Bright Bar into Distress
Steel news continues to cover the announcement that UK steel producer and distributor Aartee Bright Bar (ABB) has gone into administration. The move came after ABB’s commercial financier, FGI, decided to enforce its debts against the company. According to a February 7 report from Sky News, the West Midlands-based business appointed New York-headquartered Alvarez & […]
Global Precious Metals MMI: Prices Shift Down, Markets Face Bearish Pressure
The Global Precious Metals MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) moved sideways last month, inching down a mere 0.37%. Precious metal prices today are trending sideways in general. However, as a whole, the market appears more bearish than bullish in the short term. Gold, in particular, faces bearish pressure from investors due to its correlation with the […]
Steel Producers Avoid a Crisis During Turkish/Syrian Earthquake.
According to MetalMiner sources, the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6 have not damaged the area’s steel manufacturing plants. The first jolt struck at 4:17 AM local time, just west of Gaziantep. The 7.8 magnitude quake caused widespread damage and destruction across both Turkey and Syria. To make matters worse, a second […]
Aluminum MMI: Aluminum Prices Pause Following Surge
Aluminum prices have stayed bearish in the short term. At the beginning of February, price action showed a short-term sideways trend, as no new lows or highs formed. This means prices need to break out of their current range to form a continuation trend or a downward reversal. Currently, however, future price direction remains unclear. […]