Copper price and prices have long been considered a major indicator of global economic health. So when they plunged to 16-month lows on June 23, investors quickly hit the “panic button.” According to this CNN Business article, the commodity’s 11% drop over two weeks shows that global growth is slowing. However, not everyone agrees. Chile’s […]
Tag: China
Estimating Stainless Steel Costs Becoming More Complicated
Last Month, MetalMiner reported that stainless steel cost had been holding strong amid high demand and increased production. However, we did identify some cracks in what might otherwise look like a solid recovery. As we transition from Q2 to Q3, some of those cracks have grown significantly. Low Demand in China Affecting Stainless Steel Cost […]
Rare Earths MMI: US and China Feud Over Rare Earth Prices
Over the past month in, the Rare Earths MMI (Metal Miner Index) slightly dropped by 0.64%.Over the past few decades, the US-China relationship has evolved into more of a rivalry than anything else. This has left the United States eager to decouple from China on several critical issues. One such issue is the supply of […]
Solar Panel Tariffs on China Halted, Causing Astonishment
For US President Joe Biden, it’s a Hobson’s choice on Chinese solar panel imports. His new move to pause tariffs on imported Chinese-made silicone solar panels for two years has been either hailed or criticized. The announcement came in the middle of an on-going investigation by the US Commerce Department. Possible trade agreement violations are […]
Construction MMI: Optimism Rises While Indices Decline
The Construction MMI dropped by 9.41% from May into June. The decline comes amid growing optimism about the state of the industry. Even so, talk of recession continues to cast a shadow over the post-COVID economy. U.S. Construction Market Expected to Grow 3% by 2026 Despite the doom and gloom recession talk going on, […]
Automotive MMI: Lower Metals Prices and Slumping Supply Dominate the May Market
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) experienced a slight decline from May into June. The 30-day price change was roughly -9.55, a -6.52% drop. As with last month, multiple crises impacted the marketplace’s overall health. Among them are an ongoing microchip shortage and COVID-19 lockdowns. Below, we’ll discuss if and when we can expect normalization. […]
Lithium Prices Surge Amid a Global Rush for Supply
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions, the race is on around the world to find new sources of lithium. The prospect of running out of the rare element is a worst-case scenario for many countries. After all, it is a crucial component in the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. As EV […]
Big Trouble in Big China: Lack of Metals Demand
Metal processors and traders throughout China are facing a grim reality today. Thanks to major economic shifts both within the country and without, metals demand has plummeted. Of course, it’s not great news for the world’s biggest metals manufacturer. But what does it mean for the rest of the world? A Hard Few Years with […]
Rolled Aluminum Anti Dumping Suspension on China by European Commission Ends
The EU has announced an end to the temporary suspension of anti-dumping duties on rolled aluminum products into the block. The suspension was set to expire in July. The news comes hot on the heels of last week’s announcement that the UK would establish provisional duties for six months while it carries out an anti-dumping […]
Iron Ore Prices Show Gains in China, but Is This a Temporary Rebound?
It’s still touch-and-go for the steel sector in China despite the sprouting of the first shoots of a possible manufacturing recovery. However, last Monday, benchmark iron ore prices in the country gained a surprising 7%. This is the biggest daily rise in two-and-a-half months. Is it a sign that we should be more optimistic, or […]
