The Stainless Monthly Metals Index (MMI) rose by 7.46% from January to February. Nickel prices surged to an 11-year high last month, due to plummeting LME warehouse inventories. Prices retraced in late January after a minor sell off, but managed to rebound. As prices climb toward recent highs, they may either breakout to new levels. […]
Category: Non-ferrous Metals
Bases metals prices with short term volatility followed by medium term falls
Many metals consumers normally buy if not spot then on a three-to-six-month time horizon. Still others book up to a year out. Those that fix for longer periods often publish annual sales price lists. These companies need to fix input costs to protect margins. However, that too comes at a cost. Of course there is […]
Copper MMI: The sideways trend continues
The Copper Monthly Metals Index (MMI) held flat at 119 from January to February. Copper prices continued to trade sideways within tighter and tighter ranges, with no clear short-term price direction. Nonetheless, copper prices remain bullish on longer time frames. Chilean assembly considers copper nationalization Members of an environmental committee in Chile voted for mine […]
Aluminum MMI: Tight market could get tighter
The Aluminum Monthly Metals Index (MMI) rose for the second consecutive month by 8 points to 138. Aluminum prices rebounded after a recent correction in December. Prices have begun to trade sideways. Market sentiment will soon tell whether prices rally past recent highs or see a minor correction. Ukraine-Russia tensions put market in limbo Market […]
Indian aluminum supply under threat from coal crisis
In spite of India’s coal supply crisis easing up a bit, the country’s aluminum sector has pressed the panic button. The industry has alleged that low coal stocks threaten supply of the metal. The Aluminium Association of India (AAI) voiced this concern in a representation to the Indian Ministry of Coal last week. The AAI […]
How a potential Russian incursion can impact metals markets
Metals experts and analysts from around the world have reacted to the on-going Russia-Ukraine tension by saying any escalation would have a negative impact on global metals markets. The continued geopolitical worries have raised the possibility of new sanctions on trade with major Russian metals producers. This could further squeeze the tight aluminum, copper and […]
Section 232 negotiations between the US and the UK
As an example of how trade disputes often have little to do with trade, the announcement this week that the US and UK would sit down for talks to resolve the Trump era “trade dispute” over steel and aluminium tariffs serves as a case in point. Back in March 2018, when the former US president […]
Could we be seeing a re-run of the 2007 nickel market?
Or so asks an interesting post in Reuters last week regarding the nickel market. Back in 2007, nickel stocks had plummeted while prices rocketed. Today, we also have plummeting stocks and a rocketing price. Inventory does not appear as low today as in 2007, yet, nor has the price exceeded $24,000 per metric ton. In […]
What we are watching: aluminum stainless and Tesla rumors
MetalMiner has long held the belief that no super-cycle exists to drive commodities prices. The argument against the super cycle suggests a lack of a 10-year sustained growth trend of new demand to support such a cycle. And despite not having a sustained growth demand cycle, metal prices remain extremely volatile due to supply constraints. […]
Mining follows the trend to re-shore to the USA
We have heard a lot in recent years about re-shoring. Simply, the return of manufacturing capacity wilfully relinquished to China over the last 20 years, back to the USA. Or at least we have heard about near-shoring to lower labor cost partners like Mexico. Few would argue it would be good for the US economy, […]