IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 5 key stories from May 30

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday May 30 that are worth another look.

Antimony prices have dropped significantly in both Chinese and European markets so far this year due to weak demand and bearish sentiment caused by factors led by rising trade tensions between China and the United States, the world’s two largest economies.

Opportunities to lock in long-term sales of cobalt hydroxide – and diversify a customer base outside of China in the process – are too appealing to pass by in a market still feeling the effects of a ramp-up in intermediates supply.

Workers belonging to three trade unions at Codelco’s Chuquicamata division voted to go on strike when they rejected the latest contract proposal from the Chilean state-owned copper miner, the unions said on May 29.

The Mexican government has begun to unblock some of the frozen bank accounts owned by steelmaker Altos Hornos de México, the company said late on Wednesday May 29.

Surging iron ore prices have narrowed steelmaking margins in China, although the country’s long steel producers are unlikely to lower their prices anytime soon to stimulate sales, sources told Fastmarkets MB this week.

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Fastmarkets proposes to amend the frequency of the publication of several US base metal price assessments to a monthly basis, including MB-PB-0006 lead 99.97% ingot premium, ddp Midwest US; MB-SN-0036 tin 99.85% premium, in-whs Baltimore; MB-SN-0011 tin 99.85% premium, ddp Midwest US; MB-NI-0240 nickel 4x4 cathode premium, delivered Midwest US and MB-NI-0241 nickel briquette premium, delivered Midwest US.
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Unlike most other commodities, cobalt is primarily a by-product – with 60% derived from copper and 38% from nickel – so how will changes in those markets change the picture for cobalt in the coming months following a year of price weakness and oversupply in 2024?
Copper recycling will become increasingly critical as the world transitions to cleaner energy systems, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a special report published early this week.
Fastmarkets proposes to lower the frequency of its assessments for MB-AL-0389 aluminium low-carbon differential P1020A, US Midwest and MB-AL-0390 aluminium low-carbon differential value-added product US Midwest. Fastmarkets also proposes to extend the timing window of these same assessments to include any transaction data concluded within up to 18 months.
Fastmarkets invited feedback from the industry on its non-ferrous and industrial minerals methodologies, via an open consultation process between October 8 and November 6, 2024. This consultation was done as part of our published annual methodology review process.