This morning in metals news: new-vehicle retail sales are on pace to hit their highest total ever for the month of May, according to J.D. Power and LMC Automotive; meanwhile, new orders for manufactured durable goods declined in April after 11 straight months of gains; and, lastly, LME aluminum has backtracked over the last two-plus […]
Category: Commodities
Beijing’s warning to speculators sends metals prices falling
China’s “zero tolerance” warning to commodity speculators over the weekend sent prices of some metals and iron ore tumbling. A meeting held on Sunday between at least five government departments, including the the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), concluded that the fight against hoarders and speculators leading to soaring commodities prices would be taken […]
This Morning in Metals: US steel capacity utilization dips slightly to 79.0%
This morning in metals news: the US steel capacity utilization rate reached 79.0% last week; the state-owned Indonesia Battery Corporation and South Korea’s LG will build a $1.2 billion battery plant in Indonesia; and the copper price has cooled since reaching an all-time high earlier this month. Each month, MetalMiner hosts a webinar on a […]
Metals prices pull back from recent highs
A bullish report in Reuters last week advising metal output in China was breaking records, again, looks at odds with developments this week. Relentlessly rising prices have taken a sharp about-turn, the BBC reported. See why technical analysis is a superior forecasting methodology over fundamental analysis and why it matters for your aluminum buy. Rising […]
This Morning in Metals: Norsk Hydro explores potential uses for bauxite residue
This morning in metals news: Oslo-based Norsk Hydro has reached an agreement with a Brazilian university to explore the potential uses of bauxite residue from its mining operations; US natural gas-fired generation declined over the first four months of the year; and existing-home sales fell in April. Each month, MetalMiner hosts a webinar on a […]
Week in Review: Copper overheating?; cobalt pilot project; MetalMiner webinars
Before we head into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the week that was and the metals storylines here on MetalMiner, including copper price developments, an upcoming MetalMiner webinar and more: The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers a wealth of knowledge and tips to help buyers stay on top of metals markets and […]
This Morning in Metals: Companies launch solution for end-to-end cobalt traceability
This morning in metals news: several companies have collaborated on a solution that aims to allow for end-to-end cobalt traceability; meanwhile, the Associated General Contractors of America said rising materials prices threaten the economic recovery; and, lastly, the US, Canada and Mexico issued a trilateral statement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The MetalMiner Best Practice […]
Oil price could hit a different kind of peak oil in the years ahead
The oil price took a hit from rumors that a deal was close with Iran on curtailing its nuclear program, the quid pro quo of which would be easing of the oil export restrictions the US has tried to enforce since former President Donald Trump walked away from the deal in 2018. The oil price […]
Companies team up to search the deep seas for coveted battery materials
Clean energy vehicles, such as electric vehicles (EV), are not really 100% “clean.” That is mostly because of the environmental toll of mining. Such mining generates incredible amounts of waste. Furthermore, it leads to damage of nearby flora and fauna. By 2040, mineral demand for clean energy technologies will likely quadruple. That’s a cause for […]
This Morning in Metals: US steel capacity utilization rises to 79.2%
This morning in metals news: the US steel capacity utilization rate increased by over a percentage point last week; the Census Bureau released data for April residential construction; and average retail gas prices in the US are over $3.00 per gallon for the first time since 2014. With volatile steel markets, knowing which strategy to […]