It’s called the “nickel model,” and China hopes to duplicate it for its aluminum industry. Indeed, after more than 20 years of fast growth, China’s aluminum sector recently reached its domestic capacity limit. The government imposed this ceiling on new smelter construction to cut down on pollution and energy consumption. Now, the policy spur significant […]
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China’s Imports of Refined Copper Hit Four-Year Low
In the first half of 2023, China’s intake of refined copper saw the biggest drop in four years. The news underscores the current deceleration of the nation’s manufacturing sphere. China is one of the world’s largest buyers of refined copper. Still, it seems the country’s appetite for imports is waning. According to a report by […]
Is India the New China for Global Steel Production?
COVID-19, poor demand, and several other factors caused a drop in steel production worldwide the past few years. This included China, which is not only the biggest steel producer, but one with a massive impact on steel prices. Indeed, according to a report by the World Steel Association, global crude steel production, including semi-finished products, […]
Sliding Iron Ore Prices Show China’s Recovery is Still Dragging
The iron ore slump shows that the Chinese economy continues to struggle. Moreover, if things on the steel front do not improve quickly, demand will be low for the rest of the year. Indeed, the decline in iron ore prices, which recently hit a five-month low, has many analysts worried about the robustness of China’s […]
Iron Ore Prices Increase as Chinese Government Prohibits Stockpiling
Iron ore futures continue to climb steadily. The Singapore benchmark for iron ore futures exceeded U.S. $130 a ton on Monday. The increase was largely due to improved steel plant profitability and a positive demand forecast in China, the world’s largest steel producer. However, these increases in the price of iron ore remained restrained by […]
China’s Reform Commission Threatens Crackdown on Iron Ore Hoarders
The global iron ore price may be in for a bit of a ride. Sector analysts foresee high price volatility in the first months of 2023, mainly due to the increasing number of coronavirus cases in China. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that the government there has warned it will be “paying […]
China’s Economy: Don’t Get Your Hopes Up Just Yet
Could China’s economy resume its normal growth trajectory in 2023 after recording one of its lowest growth rates ever in 2022? Recently, the country introduced some more financial stimuli and eased its rather draconian COVID-19 countermeasures. This has left the world waiting for the resurgence of Chinese manufacturing and the economy at large. But will […]
China Reacts Strongly to WTO’s Ruling of Trump Administration Metal Duties
In the latest US steel news, a WTO ruling has sparked a new war of words between the United States and China. Last weekend, the WTO finally ruled on the 25% taxes on global steel imports and 10% import tariffs on aluminum imposed under former US President Donald Trump. The WTO dispute settlement panel ruled […]
Iron Ore Futures to Rise as China Eases zero-COVID
China’s steady easing of COVID-19 restrictions finally allowed the beleaguered economy to begin reopening. Many experts expect a renewed demand for steel, which means an increased appetite for steel-making raw materials such as iron ore. Both analysts and traders believe the lifting the restrictions was a step in the right direction. This current positivity is […]
With China Failing, Volatile Metal Prices Could Spill into 2023
There have been a number of dynamics driving metals prices this year. They’ve ranged from the strength of the USD to the war in Ukraine to the still-ongoing energy crisis. However, as with the past two decades, the primary recurring theme remains Chinese demand. As both producer and consumer of most of the world’s major […]
