In the past month, the cost of importing aluminum into the United States has risen sharply. This occurred as aluminum market delivery premiums, the added charges above the base metal price for physical shipments, came close to record highs. This surge in costs stems primarily from a combination of fresh U.S. tariffs, global shipping delays, […]
Category: Tariffs
Is Copper About to Spark a Global Commodities Rally?
Copper was touted as the hottest commodity of 2025, as covered in MetalMiner’s weekly newsletter. Capped by April’s tariff-driven turbulence, the last quarter only reinforced that view. Now it seems copper prices are poised to lead other metals in the short term. Many experts believe copper has reached an inflection point. As such, they expect […]
Auto Shock: Trump’s 25% Tariff Sends Europe Reeling
The “Trump Tariffs” continue to shock global markets, affecting multiple major sectors. Recently, European auto manufacturing ombudsmen reacted with alarm to President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 25% import tariff on auto imports into the United States. EU Auto Leaders React to Trump Tariffs Hildegard Müller, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, […]
Global Precious Metals MMI: “Yellow Metal” Come Out Once Again as Hedging Safe Haven Amidst Tariffs
The Global Precious Metals MMI (Monthly Metals Index) saw a significant bullish action month-over-month, rising by a total of 8%. The U.S. precious metals market (and precious metals prices in general) saw dramatic swings over the past five weeks amid a backdrop of stubborn inflation, evolving interest rate expectations, new tariffs and geopolitical tensions. All […]
Construction MMI: China Tariffs Climb to 145%. What it Means for China-Sourced Construction Materials
The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) broke out of its over 6-month-long sideways trend to pivot down 5.41%. This new movement outside of its sideways range could indicate more volatility in the short term than the index experienced in the past 12 months. The new Trump tariffs on China caused some volatility in the price […]
Aluminum MMI: How Suppliers Handle Tariffs and What Aluminum Buyers Need to Know
The Aluminum Monthly Metals Index (MMI) remained sideways, as most components appeared consolidated. Overall, the index slid 0.74%, while aluminum prices experienced continued instability. Aluminum Price Volatility After Tariffs Aluminum prices have appeared increasingly volatile since the announcement of tariffs. Prices plunged after reaching a mid-March peak, breaking below their sideways range. The implementation of […]
Fortress Europe? EU Slams the Gate on Steel Imports in Dumping Crackdown
Amid chaos from steel tariffs, the European Commission plans to tighten steel import quotas on April 1 over fears of dumping on the bloc. Those fears primarily stem from U.S. President Donald Trump’s implementation of 25% duties on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, which came into effect in early March. The […]
Raw Steels MMI: Steel Prices Level Off, Lead Times Shrink
The Raw Steels Monthly Metals Index (MMI) returned to the downside. Overall, the index witnessed a modest 0.75% decline from March to April. Steel Prices Find Peaks as Reciprocal Tariffs Spare Steel Steel prices either found a peak or began to stabilize by the start of April. As of April 4, hot rolled coil prices […]
Rare Earths MMI: Rare Earths Market Rattled by Myanmar Earthquake and Tariffs
The Rare Earths MMI (Monthly Metals Index) moved sideways, edging up by a slight 1.82%. The global rare earth market has taken a significant hit lately, thanks to a combination of natural disasters and big geopolitical moves. A strong earthquake in Myanmar and the recent wave of U.S. tariffs have thrown this somewhat delicate industry […]
Aluminum Trade War Heats Up: How Will China and India React to U.S. Tariffs?
The world now waits to see how two aluminum market leaders, China and India, will react to U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on metal imports. Between them, these two nations produce about 50 million metric tons (MT) of aluminum yearly. However, China significantly outpaces India, alone producing about 43 MT per year. […]