According to an official with the bourse, the London Metal Exchange (LME) is not ruling out the prospect of introducing contracts connected with Category II nickel. This comes despite the incident with the LME nickel contract back in March 2022. “We are focusing on the contract as we have it,” said Robin Martin, the bourse’s […]
Category: Global Trade
Kazakhstan-Backed ERG Injects $800 Million to Revive Congo’s Cobalt and Copper Mine
It has the largest reserves of cobalt in the world and the 7th largest deposit of copper, making it the cynosure of the mining world. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) plays a central role in the world’s rollover to renewable energy and in cobalt price movements. As a result, the central African nation surfaces in […]
Investors Seek Safe Haven Assets Amidst Geopolitical Conflict
Precious metals like gold and silver are often seen as a safe haven asset during times of economic uncertainty. In recent weeks, we have witnessed a significant increase in the number of global conflicts, imposing high uncertainty and risk among markets for investors. Still, the jury is still out on how this will affect precious […]
India’s Steel Industry Braces Itself: Coking Coal Crisis Sparks Controversial Price Hikes
India has almost replaced China as the most important coking coal export destination for the near future. This comes after a significant increase in steel demand in the subcontinent. The expected resurgence in China’s economy, mainly due to the government’s efforts to kick-start sectors like construction, has not materialized. In response, sector experts are beginning to […]
Rare Earths MMI: Burmese Mining Suspension Causes Prices for Rare Earth to Shoot Up
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) witnessed yet another steep increase month-over-month. Indeed, supply disruptions remain a massive concern in the rare earths industry, so rare earth magnets and other materials witnessed renewed bullish strength across the board over recent months. In August, market worries arose prior to a planned environmental inspection of China’s […]
Desperate Move? Russia Importing Aluminum Oxide from India Amidst Shortage
A somewhat desperate Russia has made some interesting moves relating to its need for aluminum oxide, also known as alumina. Recent reports indicate that the country began importing alumina from India several months ago. This is in addition to China, which already supplied aluminum oxide to Russia’s Siberian plants. Obviously, Russia found itself on a […]
Stainless MMI: Stainless Inventories High, Mill Lead Times Low as Base Prices Hold Firm
The nickel price index continued to trend downward, as it fell to its lowest level since July 2022 by mid-September. Following an over 7% decline during August, prices fell nearly 3% during the first two weeks of September. As prices drop toward historical support zones, they come close to wiping out nearly all gains from […]
Renewables MMI: Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel Prices Skyrocket
Month-over-month, the Renewables MMI (Monthly Metals Index) ended up dropping significantly by 11.16%. The main culprit for this was cobalt prices dropping significantly in August, despite prices flattening again in the beginning of September. Steel plate prices also found support as of September 6th. Most other components of the index moved sideways or slightly up, […]
Iron Ore Price Index Soars 4% on China’s Economic Rebound, Easing Inflation in Sight?
According to this report, the most-traded January iron ore on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) DCIOcv1 ended daytime trading 2.41% higher at 851.5 yuan (US$116.80) a metric ton. The next day, the iron ore price index surged by 4%, surpassing US $117 per ton. Trader optimism largely fueled the price jump, as many felt encouraged […]
Construction MMI: Falling Chinese Imports Weigh on Construction, Steel Prices
The Construction MMI (Monthly Metal Index) rose for the first time in five months, welcoming a 3.97% increase. However, this rise could prove deceiving as the index still faces numerous bearish sentiments. Bar fuel surcharges rising helped the index rise month-over-month, along with did aluminum bar prices. Steel rebar and h-beam steel prices, on the […]