The Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) moved sideways, rising by a modest 0.35% from May to June. However, the stainless steel price remains under pressure from several factors. Tariff Hike Rattles the U.S. Stainless Steel Market In a move few saw coming, President Trump doubled Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% […]
Category: Commodities
Rare Earths MMI: Prices Stabilize, but Supply Chains Still Disrupted by China’s New RE Restrictions
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) found more price stability month-over-month. As a result, it moved sideways, with only a 0.81% increase. Despite this, the short-term outlook for rare earths remains uncertain. Chinese export restrictions jolted prices in H1 of 2025 and fractured long-running supply lines. Shortly after, global automakers warned that Beijing’s April […]
Trump’s 50% Tariffs Slam Indian Metals. Is $2 Billion in Trade at Risk?
India is seeing mixed reactions to U.S. President Donald Trump’s new announcement that he is imposing a 50% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports from the country. While the Indian Government sought to play down the new Trump tariffs, with one minister dubbing its impact as “minor,” some analysts, experts and trade bodies are […]
If the Goal Isn’t Price Stability, Then What Are These New 50% Tariffs Really About?
During a rally at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant near Pittsburgh last Friday, U.S. President Trump announced plans to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%. These new “Trump Tariffs” are set to take effect on June 4, 2025, and will not only apply to primary and semi-finished steel and […]
Copper Market Outlook, H2 2025: Why Are Inventories Still So Uneven?
The copper market outlook for the second half of 2025 has seen significant debate in recent weeks. On the supply side of the equation, new production is coming online. However, this may not happen fast enough to flood the market. According to mining.com, the ICSG projects global mined copper output will rise about 2.3% in […]
Is Volvo’s Restructuring a Warning Signal for Steel Demand?
In late April, Swedish automaker Volvo announced plans to cut up to 3,000 jobs, or about 15% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring plan. Since then, steel industry insiders have pointed to the event as a potential warning sign for demand. According to statements from Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson released on May […]
Steel Dumping Tsunami Recedes: China’s Export Peak May Be Behind Us
Has the countdown to the end of China’s steel dominance in its own and international markets begun? Some steel industry reports seem to indicate that this is exactly the case. Many chalk this up to a variety of factors, including a shift in steel demand dynamics, China’s own poor internal demand, its efforts to turn […]
China’s Metal Anti-Dumping is Back. What You Need to Know
Chinese mills are churning out steel, aluminum and even refined copper at near-record levels and sending the surplus abroad, a trend steel industry analysts say could pressure industrial metal prices in the United States. After a year of lagging domestic demand, China’s exports of construction and manufacturing metals have surged, flooding global markets with cheap […]
Rare Earth Truce or Trap? China’s Grip Still Chokes Global Supply
With the United States and China ratcheting down the tariff war (for 90 days at least), many expected that the export of rare earths and permanent magnets would soon return to pre-trade war conditions, as MetalMiner’s weekly newsletter weighed in on in the past. However, that does not seem to be happening on the ground. […]
Volatility’s Back, and It’s Wreaking Havoc on Metal Sourcing Strategies
Speculators may love volatility, but metal buyers hate it. As for Trump Tariffs 2025, the jury is still out. The truth is that a bout of unexpected turbulence like we’ve seen over the last couple of months can knock even the best-laid strategies sideways. The reasons are clear: markets nosedived in March and hit bottom […]