Aluminum prices reached a high price of almost $4,000 per metric ton on the LME primary 3-month in 2022. However, there were plenty of sales for roughly half that amount, attesting to the wide range of the 2022 index. When March’s rally ended, prices began a decline that resulted in them hitting a yearly low […]
Category: Non-ferrous Metals
European Tariffs Planned for Carbon-Intensive Steel and Aluminum
Global metal manufacturing is already set to change in 2023. Indeed, the European Council and European Parliament recently reached a provisional agreement over the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). This would impose new tariffs on materials from carbon-intensive industries imported into the 27-member bloc. According to members of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health, […]
Global Precious Metal MMI: Long Term Price Directions Remain Uncertain
The Global Precious Metals MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) stayed within a sideways range this past month. However, precious metal prices did rise by a modest 1.13%. As the US dollar dropped in value over recent weeks, precious metal indexes responded accordingly. Month-over-month, gold, platinum, and palladium all saw a brief rally between Nov 3 – […]
Copper MMI: Copper Prices Bullish as Year’s End Approaches
The Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) rose 3.87% from November to December. As with other base metals, copper prices broke out of range to the upside last month as China began to pivot away from zero-COVID. Copper prices rallied to a peak on November 11 before a brief and modest retracement. Shortly after that, prices […]
Automotive MMI: Interest Rates Move Up, Consumer Demand Moves Down
The Automotive MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) finally broke its downward trend and traded sideways, inching up by 2.53%. Meanwhile, myriad factors continue to pressure metal prices. The demand for vehicles among consumers remains strong. However, low inventories throughout most of 2022 placed a huge strain on the index. Without parts, the manufacturing of new vehicles […]
Aluminum MMI: Rally Continues as Aluminum Prices Remain Bullish
Aluminum prices broke out of their sideways trend last month with strong upside price action. Prices rallied during the first half of November, followed by a modest retracement before they continued upward. Overall, the Aluminum Monthly Metals Index (MMI) saw a modest 1.04% increase from November to December. The MetalMiner Insights platform includes global aluminum […]
Renewables/GOES MMI: Steel Plate Drops While Battery Metals Hold Strong
The December Renewables MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) traded sideways, practically in a straight line. Overall, metal prices within the index only dropped 0.83%. This sideways trend contrasts sharply with the steep drop renewables saw just six months ago. Battery metals within the index, such as cobalt and silicon, held a steady sideways trend, only rising […]
Rare Earths MMI: Global Rare Earth Supply Chains in an Uproar
The December Rare Earths MMI (Monthly MetalMiner Index) traded sideways for the second month in a row. The index dropped 1.55% and MetalMiner anticipates it will continue sideways, most definitely for the short term and possibly in the long term. This is mostly thanks to the supply of global rare earth magnets being interrupted by […]
Despite Mine Expansion, Copper Price Outlook Still Bearish
Let’s begin with the good news first. Global copper mine capacity rose nearly 5% to 20.38 million tons (MT) between January and September of 2022. According to a report by the International Copper Study Group (ICSG), this was mainly due to the additional production at new or expanded mines. That said, global demand for the […]
Zinc Price Index Cooling Down After Sharp Rally
Like most base metals, the zinc price index rose during the first week of November. However, the 15th marked the last day of zinc’s sharp rally, as prices soon began to cool down and return back to prior support and resistance zones. As with other metal production facilities, Zinc smelters use a lot of energy. […]