Falling exchange prices and rising LME inventories this year indicate that primary aluminum is currently in ample supply. So far, aluminum prices have slightly increased since the beginning of the month as inventory levels have steadily declined. However, while the metal leaving the exchange has been Indian, a good, deliverable brand, the metal arriving has […]
Category: Inventory Stock Levels
Copper MMI: Mining Resumption, China Pose Risk to Copper Prices
Overall, the Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) fell 4.56% from July to August. Aside from a short-lived rise at the start of July, copper prices today remain in a downtrend, with prices falling 5.76% from the previous month. Prices did manage to rebound in August, although not enough to signal a trend reversal. (Follow copper […]
Lithium Market: Continued Growth, or Red Herring?
Lithium has rapidly become a critical element in the race to dominate the tech and energy sectors, resulting in a powerful and profitable global lithium market. This is mainly because the element plays an indispensable role in lithium-ion batteries, which don’t just “charge” our smartphones and laptops but also power electric vehicles. As the global […]
Renewables MMI: China’s Battery Metals Stockpile, What Does it Mean for U.S. Companies?
The Renewables MMI (Monthly Metals Index) continued to plateau, moving sideways with only a slight 1.29% drop. Currently, there isn’t enough bullish or bearish price action to yank the index too far out of its sideways trend. The historically volatile movements of grain-oriented electrical steel prices are currently the only factor adding any significant volatility […]
Iron Ore Prices Sink Below $100 as China’s Steel Mills Face Crisis
Iron ore prices hit the headlines again after dipping below the psychological barrier of US $100 per ton this Monday. It was the fourth time it crossed the threshold in a fortnight. This recent drop was nearly 30% below iron ore’s peak of $144 a ton, which it achieved in January this year. As a […]
Stainless MMI: Nickel Prices Unravel Gains as Stainless Market Remains “Soft”
Overall, the Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) continued to decline, with a 4.47% drop from July to August. Nickel prices continued to plunge throughout July, shedding an additional 4.43% over the course of the month. Although prices appeared to stabilize in early August, they continued to trend near their early 2024 range, having wiped out […]
Europe’s Answer to China’s Rare Earth Monopoly
Rare earth elements and semiconductors have taken on that critical national development role once occupied by oil and petroleum products. Despite the ongoing U.S.-China competition, the latter country controls a full 90% of the global rare earths supply, transforming these elements into potential political weapons. With regard to semiconductors, China’s Civilian-Military Integration Strategy aims to […]
Copper Shortage Fears Ignite Once Again as Global Demand Projected to Skyrocket
By now, the world knows that although the current global copper reserves are sufficient to meet demand, extraction continues to lag behind consumption. As a result, many inside and outside the copper market fear there will be a shortage in the coming years. Predictions say that the annual global demand for copper will increase by […]
Stainless MMI: Stainless Demand Slow, NAS Determines New Ferrochrome Pricing
Overall, the Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) rose 3.89% from May to June. The nickel price mirrored other base metals, finding a peak on May 20 before inverting to the downside. By the close of June 20, nickel prices had fallen over 19%, returning to their lowest level since early April. That said, they remain […]
Renewables/GOES MMI: Despite Slight GOES Supply Gut, U.S. Still Lacks Enough Transformers for Renewable Energy
The Renewables MMI (Monthly Metals Index) witnessed more notable declines month-over-month than last month’s MMI, declining by 7.09%. Renewable energy news sources indicate there exists a number of renewable energy projects within the U.S. currently ready to begin work, but are on hold due to an array of factors. Furthermore, solar and wind fields still […]
