ASIAN MORNING BRIEF 10/10: Base metals mostly rebound on LME; Metals industry prepares for Brexit; Refined metal demand driving global copper premiums, Aurubis CEO says

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Wednesday October 10.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly higher at the close of trading on Tuesday October 9, supported by a marginal downturn in the dollar index, with nickel prices rocketing by more than 3%. Read more in our live futures report.

Here are how prices looked at the close of trading:

If Brexit – the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union on March 29, 2019 – isn’t on your radar, it should be.

Major annual copper premium increases are coming as a result of booming demand for refined metal, Aurubis chief executive Jürgen Schachler told Fastmarkets.

Fastmarkets has discontinued its weekly price assessment for Algeria rebar imports, expressed in euros per tonne cfr. There will be no price assessment on October 10.

Flat steel import prices in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have been mostly stable over the past week, with demand being weak and buyers expecting prices to fall, sources told Fastmarkets on October 9.

The Turkish deep-sea scrap market was quiet on Tuesday October 9, with suppliers holding their offer prices steady, according to market participants.

Recent unfavorable developments in the Turkish economy – in the steel market in particular – caused by the aggravation of diplomatic relationships with the US has put pressure on steel producers in the Commonwealth of Independent States, both in terms of export volumes and prices.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has started a final review of anti-dumping measures imposed on stainless cold-rolled steel from China, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia, it said on October 3.

China’s domestic rebar price registered a small increase on Tuesday on higher futures and gains in the billet market.

What to read next
The publication of Fastmarkets’ European aluminium billet premiums assessments for Friday February 6 was delayed because of a procedural error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.
Glencore’s share price fell sharply on Thursday February 5 after Rio Tinto confirmed it was no longer pursuing a potential merger, ending weeks of speculation about a combination that would have created one of the world’s largest mining companies.
The proposal to increase the publication frequency from monthly to weekly comes amid increased volatility of copper on the London Metal Exchange, while copper scrap discounts have been shifting on a more regular basis. This more frequent assessment will enable Fastmarkets to reflect market dynamics in a timelier manner, as well as capture more spot […]
Fastmarkets has corrected its assessments for Shanghai bonded nickel stocks on January 30.
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0346 Aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam, $/tonne that was published incorrectly on Thursday January 29.
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0299 aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp Spain that was published incorrectly on Friday January 23.