China’s aluminium production increased by 2.6% year-on-year in January and February, reaching 7.32 million metric tons, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The rise in output was driven by improved profitability at smelters, largely due to easing alumina supply constraints and falling raw material costs. Total production of ten nonferrous metals,...
READ MORESpot rhodium prices have climbed to their highest levels in 20 months, driven by increased buying interest from Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and tight first-quarter supply from South Africa. Prices have risen 20% this month, breaking above $5,000 per troy ounce before reaching $6,040 on Tuesday—the highest since June 2023—before retreating to $5,640 on Wednesday....
READ MOREShanghai copper prices outperformed other base metals on Wednesday, driven by expectations of increasing demand from China’s power and construction sectors. The most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) closed 2.08% higher at 79,410 yuan ($10,962) per metric ton, reaching an intraday high of 79,470 yuan—its highest level since September 30. According to...
READ MORESpot gold experienced a sharp drop in early Asian trading on March 7, falling from a session high of $2,914 per ounce to an intraday low of $2,896.40 per ounce. Analysts attribute the decline to profit-taking ahead of the U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls report and rising U.S. Treasury yields, which reduced the appeal of the non-yielding...
READ MOREChina’s aluminum industry remains the largest globally, supported by high production capacity and growing downstream demand. However, market dynamics are shifting due to increasing inventories, fluctuating raw material costs, and cautious buyer sentiment. Despite these challenges, facility expansions and policy adjustments continue to shape the long-term outlook of the sector. Over the past week, the...
READ MORENortham Platinum reported a nearly 50% drop in earnings for the six months ending December 31, 2024, as lower platinum group metals (PGM) prices weighed on performance. Headline earnings declined by 49.7% to R238.24 million, prompting an 85% cut in the interim dividend to 15 cents per share. Despite CEO Paul Dunne’s assurance that the...
READ MOREThe 14% increase in copper prices since the start of 2024 has led to mixed results among copper miners, with the Global X Copper Miners ETF (COPX) seeing little movement. However, some miners have significantly outperformed, including Taseko Mines, which has gained 8% this year. Taseko’s operations in Canada and the U.S. place it in...
READ MOREKorea’s domestic aluminum flat product prices saw an increase for March deliveries as Choil Aluminum and Novelis Korea raised their prices by 90,000 won per ton. Export prices also rose by $80 per ton, following gains in London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminum prices, which climbed from $2,574.95 per ton in January to $2,653.38 per ton...
READ MOREPalladium prices have plummeted from a peak of approximately $3,440 per ounce in March 2022 to around $921 per ounce, significantly impacting profitability. As a result, Implats’ first-half profit fell 43% to 1.85 billion rand ($100.23 million), leading the company to halt dividend payments. Last year, Implats announced plans to reduce the lifespan of the...
READ MORENickel prices exhibited a downward trend last week, with spot prices fluctuating between 123,200-127,300 yuan/mt and SHFE nickel futures ranging from 123,300 yuan/mt to 126,300 yuan/mt. Premiums for Jinchuan No.1 nickel were quoted between 1,700-2,100 yuan/mt, with an average premium of 1,850 yuan/mt, declining week-on-week. Market trading remained sluggish, while downstream end-use demand remained weak,...
READ MOREAluminium prices declined by 0.98%, settling at 257.65, as production in China gradually resumed. Domestic operating capacity is expected to rise in February, following a 3.8% year-on-year increase in January’s aluminium production, though output dipped 0.3% from the previous month. While most smelters maintained stable production, Shanxi recorded a reduction of 20,000 metric tons per...
READ MOREThe cobalt market has entered an unprecedented downturn, with prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) plummeting from a peak of $82,000 per metric ton in April 2022 to $21,550, the lowest since the contract’s inception in 2010. The current oversupply, largely driven by China’s CMOC Group, contrasts with previous downturns, such as the 2018-2019...
READ MORECopper prices reached their highest levels in over a week on Wednesday, driven by a softer dollar, while aluminium prices declined due to falling raw material costs and expectations of increased supply. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose 0.1% to $9,160 per metric ton by 1030 GMT, after hitting $9,204, the highest...
READ MOREIn early Monday trading (January 27) in the Asian market, spot gold rebounded slightly, with prices currently near $2,773 per ounce. This marks a recovery of nearly $10 from the intraday low of $2,763.65 per ounce. Analysts predict that gold prices may soon challenge the all-time high of $2,790.15 per ounce, set on October 31...
READ MOREGold prices climbed to nearly three-month highs on Wednesday, January 22, reaching $2,763.42 per ounce during the session before closing at $2,756.10 per ounce. The rise comes despite a strengthening U.S. dollar, as strong safe-haven demand pushed gold prices decisively above the psychological $2,750 per ounce level. Market analysts attribute the surge to growing investor...
READ MOREIn Asian morning trading on Monday, January 20, spot gold experienced a sharp decline, dropping to an intraday low of $2,690.96 per ounce. This marks a continuation of the retreat seen in the previous session, as gold prices closed at $2,702.27 per ounce on Friday, down $12.08 or 0.45%. The decline in gold prices at...
READ MOREMarket analyst BMI has maintained its zinc price forecast for 2025 at $2,650 per tonne, citing weaker supply and demand dynamics. Zinc prices began the year at $2,888 per tonne but are projected to drop by 5.8% compared to the 2024 average of $2,812 per tonne. Tightening market fundamentals, including a shortage in zinc concentrate,...
READ MORELithium prices are forecasted to stabilize in 2025 after two years of sharp declines driven by a global oversupply. A nearly 86% drop in prices since their peak in November 2022 forced the closure of numerous mines worldwide. However, analysts and traders anticipate that strong electric vehicle (EV) sales in China and reductions in lithium...
READ MOREAluminum prices edged higher as the European Union considers restrictions on imports of Russian metal, while Chinese production growth is expected to slow. On the London Metal Exchange (LME), aluminum climbed as much as 0.7% toward $2,600 per ton, trading 0.2% higher at $2,564 per ton by mid-morning in Shanghai. The EU is weighing new...
READ MOREAnalysts forecast a decline in zinc prices in 2025 as global refined zinc production rebounds and demand remains subdued. BMI, a research agency under Fitch Solutions, projects a surplus of 270,000 tonnes for the year, reversing the 184,000-tonne deficit anticipated in 2024. Preliminary data from the International Lead and Zinc Supply Group (ILZSG) show that...
READ MORECobalt prices have halved over the past two years, largely driven by a surge in supply from China’s CMOC Group. The company’s aggressive production growth has significantly contributed to the global oversupply of cobalt, pushing prices down from over $28,000 per tonne in January 2024 to under $24,000 by December on the London Metal Exchange....
READ MOREAs 2024 draws to a close, lithium prices have declined for the second consecutive year, marking a significant fall from their December 2022 peak of $85 per kilogram for lithium hydroxide. Prices have plunged nearly 90%, but recent signs indicate the sharpest phase of the decline may be over. Narrowing price drops and reduced discounts...
READ MOREAccording to a survey by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), China’s primary aluminium prices and input costs have declined, reflecting muted demand for the commodities. Bauxite emerged as the only exception, with its domestic price remaining stable and its imported price increasing by $0.08 per tonne to $105.84 per tonne. A00 Aluminium Ingot Price On December...
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