The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) moved sideways, dropping by 2.0% month-over-month. In early June 2025, new Trump tariffs doubled pre-existing steel and aluminum duties from 25% to 50%. As buyers scrambled, U.S. aluminum premiums immediately hit a record 60¢/lb. Meanwhile, the tariff surge is already squeezing the U.S. construction industry. Construction Input Inflation Construction […]
Category: Metal Pricing
Automotive MMI: Automakers Scramble as Rare Earths Crunch and Tariffs Impact Supply Chains
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) moved sideways month-over-month, dropping by 0.70%. This comes as auto industry executives in the U.S. are confronting a whirlwind of trade and supply chain disruptions, not to mention the effects of the recent round of Trump tariffs. In the past month alone, high-stakes U.S.–China trade talks, critical mineral export […]
Copper MMI: Copper Prices Stable But Volatility Looms
The Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) moved sideways, rising by a modest 1.45% from May to June. Though copper prices today appear mostly stable, significant opportunity for volatility remains. Copper Prices Open June With Uncertainty Comex copper prices appeared surprisingly stable in the first weeks of June as they took a pause from the heightened […]
Stainless MMI: Tariff Impacts on the Stainless Market
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% […]
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 […]
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 […]
Price of Copper Braces for H2 2025: Are Demand Jitters on the Way?
Copper prices are entering the second half of 2025 on a knife’s edge. After a roller-coaster first half that included soaring to record highs in March only to plunge weeks later, the outlook for the price of copper remains clouded by dueling forces. On the one hand, robust long-term demand drivers like electrification and EVs […]
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 […]
Copper MMI: Copper Prices Volatile on Tariff Shifts
The Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) retraced to the downside with a 4.23% decline from March to April. Looking at copper prices today, analysts seem to be struggling with ongoing trade policy shifts. Copper Prices Zigzag Amid Uncertain Trade Policy Comex copper prices have experienced wild swings over the past few months. First, they […]
