Month over month, the Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) failed to break very far outside of its year-long sideways trend. All in all, the index dropped by 4.23% Numerous factors tugged the index down month-over-month, including slowing electric vehicle production. Another pressing matter putting pressure on the automotive market is China implementing further restrictions on […]
Category: Global Trade
Copper MMI: Copper Prices Bounce On Market Optimism, Chinese Premium
Overall, the Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) fell 6.66% from June to July. Following a nearly 5% decline throughout June, copper prices found an at least temporary bottom at the end of the month. Prices rose 4.35% during the first week of July as market signals improved. There are numerous factors affecting copper prices today. […]
Rare Earths MMI: What China Further Tightening Rare Earths Means for the U.S.
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) took a steep dive in price action after a month of relative stability, dropping 14.4%. Terbium (both metal and oxide) yanked the index down tremendously, falling more than 16%. However, the rare earths index could yet experience some rebound from now until October, when China’s recent set of […]
Stainless MMI: Bearish Stainless Demand Leads to Steep Discounts
Overall, the Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) reversed to the downside, with a 10.88% drop from June to July. Nickel prices experienced heavy losses during June, securing the title of worst-performing base metal with an over 14% decline. Prices had fallen over 19% from their May 20 peak by early June as they remained in […]
Aluminum MMI: Aluminum Prices Drop As Investment Funds Pull Back
Overall, the Aluminum Monthly Metals Index (MMI) rose 4.09% from May to June. Aluminum prices outperformed all other base metals throughout May, with a 5.28% rise. Prices found a peak at their highest level since June 2022 on May 29 before losing all of May’s gains during the first three weeks of June. MetalMiner’s Annual […]
Secret Weapon in the ‘Copper War’?
Copper demand continues to surge globally. And as the rest of the world struggles with the rising price of copper and the ever-changing copper market, guess who is sitting pretty? Hint: it’s China. Despite fears of a worldwide copper shortage driving copper prices to new highs, the world’s largest producer and consumer of refined copper […]
Raw Steels MMI: Steel Prices Decrease, Surge of Vietnamese Steel Imports Fuel Dumping Concerns
The Raw Steels Monthly Metals Index (MMI) remained sideways, with a modest 1.33% decline from May to June. As a whole, U.S. flat rolled steel prices appeared bearish, accelerating declines throughout June. HRC prices fell nearly 9%, their most significant month-over-month drop since February. CRC and HDG prices saw respective 6% declines, while plate prices […]
Automotive MMI: Will EV Demand Hold Copper Prices Up Long-Term?
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) continued to rise month-over-month, this time increasing by 3.04%. Aluminum and platinum prices rose significantly, which pulled the index up and provided significant bullish price action. Meanwhile, copper prices also added some bullish sentiment to the index, though not quite as much as in May. Copper prices continue to […]
Lithium Rush: Global Scramble for ‘White Gold’ as China Dominates the Supply Chain
Dubbed “white gold,” lithium is immense valuable in the modern world. Though lithium prices dropped dramatically from the highs achieved in late 2022, China still dominates the lithium supply chain. This continues to spur on multiple countries looking to lay their hands on this valuable metal. Lithium is a critical component in rechargeable batteries for […]
China’s Bold Leap into Solid State Battery Research: The Charge of the Future
In the bustling world of battery innovation, China continues to make headlines. This time, it’s all about solid-state batteries. Over the past several years, the nation steadily powered up its battery metals research and development efforts, betting big on this game-changing technology. But why all the buzz? Let’s take a closer look at China’s recent […]
