News and market analysis

The re-election of Donald Trump for a second term as US president has created uncertainty about the ability of Chinese carmakers to continue to manufacture and export auto components into Mexico to be fully assembled and then exported to the US.

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?

Following an initial one-month consultation period, Fastmarkets has decided to extend the consultation period of the proposal to launch low-grade ferro-nickel, 20-25% Ni contained cif China price assessment to allow for additional feedback from the industry.

Argentina’s soybean sowing area estimate for the 2024-25 crop was raised by 0.6%, to 17.9 million hectares, while the wheat output was projected at 17.6 million tonnes, the country’s Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (SagyP) monthly report showed on Thursday November 21.

Prices for imported flat-rolled steel into the US were largely stable on Wednesday November 20, with market participants reporting thin trading and long lead times deterring them from engaging in the foreign markets.

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 has corrected select forward price months for AG-CRN-0051 Corn CIF Vietnam c$/bu, which were published incorrectly on Thursday November 14.

Fastmarkets will amend the load port named for the assessment of its index for MB-COA-0003 premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT, to eastern Australian ports, from the current basis of Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, Australia on Friday November 29.

The change in frequency, which takes place from Monday November 25, will help to better reflect the dynamics of China’s ferro-nickel import market, particularly with the ferro-nickel price being closely linked to the LME nickel price. The new specifications are listed below, with the amendment of price frequency in italics: MB-FEN-0003 Ferro-nickel premium/discount, 26-32% Ni […]

The publication of Fastmarkets’ MB-BMS-0014 Black mass, NCM/NCA, payable indicator, cobalt, domestic, exw USA, % payable Fastmarkets’ standard-grade cobalt price assessment and MB-BMS-0015 Black mass, NCM/NCA, payable indicator, nickel, exw USA, % payable LME Nickel cash official price assessment for Wednesday November 20 was delayed due to reporter error. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated.