Fastmarkets Launches Mexico Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Fastmarkets has introduced a dedicated price assessment suite for Mexican stainless‑steel scrap, adding broker‑buying and ex‑works contracts for grades such as 304, 316, 409 and 430, plus the mixed‑material Zurik. The new benchmarks are published weekly on Tuesdays and are priced in Mexican pesos per pound or kilogram. They reflect regional collection costs and ex‑works trade levels, primarily for scrap destined for the U.S. market. The launch responds to growing demand for an independent Mexican reference amid uncertainty over U.S. trade policy and the future of the USMCA agreement.
Decision to Change, Clarify Fastmarkets’ NCM Black Mass Payables Indicators
Fastmarkets announced revisions to its NCM black‑mass payable indicator methodology, effective April 22 2026. The update removes NCA material from the scope, tightens quality parameters (15‑25% nickel, 3‑10% cobalt, ≤5% moisture) and clarifies geographic sourcing rules for South Korean and European markets....
Powering Defense: The Strategic Metals Shaping Warfare | Fast Forward Market Briefing Transcript
The Fast Forward podcast highlighted four niche metals—cobalt, gallium, germanium and antimony—as critical to modern defense systems, from jet‑engine super‑alloys to infrared optics and ammunition. Their supply chains are heavily concentrated, with the Democratic Republic of Congo providing most cobalt...
GCC Steel Supply Crunch Deepens Despite Ceasefire Talks
Gulf steel mills continue to face severe supply constraints despite tentative cease‑fire talks between Iran and the United States. Blockades in the Strait of Hormuz have curtailed iron‑ore pellet and ferro‑alloy shipments, forcing producers to cut output and turn to...
End of Open Consultation on Methodology for Saudi Arabia Domestic Rebar Price Assessment
Fastmarkets announced the closure of its open consultation on the methodology for the Saudi Arabia domestic rebar price (MB-STE-0909). The consultation, which ran until April 6, sought to ensure the pricing process complies with IOSCO principles for Price Reporting Agencies....
Clarification of Rhenium APR Catalytic Grade Price Assessment Specification: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced that its MB-RE-0001 rhenium APR catalytic grade price assessment will be quoted in US dollars per kilogram of rhenium (USD/kg Re) rather than per kilogram of material. The product name will be updated to reflect this unit change, while...
How to Confidently Forecast Costs in Food and Beverage Procurement
Fastmarkets released a free Forecasting with Confidence Playbook that showcases how independent market intelligence can help food‑and‑beverage (F&B) procurement teams anticipate packaging and ingredient price swings. The piece highlights that global volatility—driven by geopolitical conflict and energy shocks—often leads suppliers...
Animal Protein Prices Trend Firmer Across Multiple Regions
Animal protein markets showed mixed firmness across regions in the week to April 9. In Australia, feathermeal export prices dropped to A$720‑740/tonne (≈$508‑$522), while domestic poultry meal edged higher, and New Zealand’s meat‑and‑bone‑meal (MBM) rose modestly. Brazil’s MBM prices hovered around 1.80 Reais/kg...
Decision to Launch of Antimony Trioxide 99.5% Sb2O3 Min, Exw China Price Assessment: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced the launch of a new price assessment for antimony trioxide (99.5% Sb2O3 min) on an ex‑works China basis, effective April 17, 2026. The assessment follows a one‑month consultation and adds a domestic Chinese price indicator to its industrial...
Correction to Japan Seamless Linepipe Assessments
Fastmarkets corrected the published FOB prices for Japan‑sourced seamless linepipe. The API 5L B grade price was lowered from $14,500 to $1,450 per tonne, and the API 5L X65 grade from $16,500 to $1,650 per tonne. The updates are now...
Fastmarkets to Launch Two Graphite Flake Exw China Prices
Fastmarkets announced the launch of two new ex‑works China graphite‑flake price benchmarks after a one‑month consultation that closed on April 6. The indices cover 94% carbon flake at –100 mesh and +80 mesh, with a minimum reporting size of 20 tonnes. Prices...
Publication of Fastmarkets’ Steel Scrap No1 Busheling, Delivered Mill Chicago Assessment on Thursday April 9, 2026
Fastmarkets published its latest North America ferrous scrap price assessment for No.1 busheling steel scrap delivered to mill in Chicago on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The assessment is part of Fastmarkets’ broader scrap pricing package and provides a delivered‑mill benchmark for high‑grade...
DRC Quota Extension Eases Cobalt Supply Concerns, but Market Reaction Muted
The Democratic Republic of Congo extended its cobalt export quota deadline by an additional 30 days, moving the Q4 2025 cutoff to the end of Q1 2026. CMOC, the world’s largest cobalt producer, said the extension will let it ship its full...
European Commission Publishes First CBAM Certificate Price
The European Commission released the first‑quarter 2026 Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate price at €75.36 ($89.64) per tonne CO₂e, based on the volume‑weighted average of EU Allowances (EUAs). EUA prices swung sharply in Q1, climbing above €90 before falling...
Fastmarkets Proposes Changes to Asia Copper Concentrates Index Weighting, Seeks Feedback on Normalization of Gold and Silver
Fastmarkets has proposed a dynamic, volume‑based weighting for its Asia copper concentrates TC and RC indices, moving away from the current fixed 50:50 split between trader and smelter purchases. The new method would adjust weekly using a rolling six‑month volume...
Proposal to Launch Price Assessment for Tungsten Unwrought Metal Bar, CIF Main Ports Europe, US, Japan
Fastmarkets has proposed a new weekly price assessment for unwrought tungsten metal bars of at least 99.8% purity, quoted CIF to major ports in Europe, the United States and Japan. The assessment, priced in U.S. dollars per kilogram, will cover...
Why Automakers Are Set to Lead Green Steel Adoption in Europe?
Automakers consume roughly one‑fifth of EU steel, making them a pivotal demand source for low‑carbon steel. EU Fit for 55 regulations force a 55% CO2 reduction for new cars by 2030 and a full 100% cut by 2035, turning green...
Middle East: Middle East Conflict Pushes PIX GCC Testliner, Fluting Indices Higher in March
The March Fastmarkets PIX indices for GCC containerboard jumped about 4.4%, with testliner reaching $482.44 per tonne and fluting $457.33 per tonne. Disruptions from the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced Saudi corrugators to shift from imported recycled...
‘I’m Not Doing This for Fun, I’m Fully Committed’: HBI Investor on $5.7 Bln Green Steel Push in Brazil
Brazil Iron’s Bahia project is a $5.7 billion effort to produce up to 15 million tonnes per year of hot‑briquetted iron (HBI), positioning Brazil as a major supplier of green steel feedstock. The venture has already invested about $1.7 billion, with 85% of...
EU-Mercosur Deal to Take Provisional Effect May 1; Limited Immediate Impact for Paper Industry Seen
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement will enter provisional effect on May 1, 2026 after the European Commission’s final procedural step. While the deal promises gradual tariff reductions for pulp, paper and board, no immediate eliminations occur and most cuts will be...
Integrated Mills Push for Tissue Jumbo Rolls Price Hikes; Smaller Mills Respond to Buyer Resistance in China
Integrated pulp and tissue producers in South and East China lifted jumbo‑roll prices by 50‑100 yuan ($7‑14) per tonne in early April, citing higher wood‑chip costs and scheduled maintenance shutdowns. Smaller and medium‑sized mills, facing strong buyer resistance, retracted proposed hikes...
Voluntary Blending Rises as Biodiesel Premiums Turn Negative in the EU
Crop-based biodiesel in the EU fell below fossil diesel prices on April 2, with FAME 0 and RME premiums turning negative for the first time. The price gap, roughly $45 per tonne, makes a 7% biodiesel blend cheaper than pure...
Fastmarkets to Change Frequency of US Delivered Tin Price
Fastmarkets announced that its US‑delivered tin price will now be published quarterly, shifting from more frequent updates. The change follows a methodology review that identified low spot liquidity and price volatility, and it was supported by market participants. The new...
Fastmarkets Suspends 10 Steel Pipe Prices, CFR Jebel Ali
Fastmarkets announced the suspension of ten steel pipe price assessments for the CFR Jebel Ali market, covering both seamless and welded OCTG casings and linepipe grades. The suspension follows ongoing disruptions caused by the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, which has hampered regional deliveries...
Fastmarkets to Launch Cold-Rolled Grain Oriented Electrical Steel, Ex-Whs Eastern China Price Assessment: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets will begin publishing a bi‑weekly price assessment for cold‑rolled grain‑oriented electrical steel (GOES) in Eastern China starting April 17. The new assessment follows a month‑long consultation and adds to Fastmarkets’ existing coverage of non‑grain oriented steel in China and...
Delayed Publication of Nickel, Cobalt MHP Payable Indicators Cif China, Japan and South Korea
Fastmarkets announced that the publication of its nickel and cobalt mixed‑hydroxide precipitate (MHP) payable indicators on a CIF China, Japan and South Korea basis was delayed on April 2 due to a reporter error. The affected assessments – MB‑NIO‑0004 for nickel...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Amend Publication Times, Holiday Pricing Schedule for Asian Base Metals Assessments
Fastmarkets has proposed shifting the publication schedule for its Asian base‑metal assessments from UK working hours to China or Singapore working hours, aligning the holiday calendar with local markets. The change also introduces new cut‑off times for several copper assessments...
Correction to Steel Hot-Rolled Coil Index Domestic, Exw Northern Europe and Inferred Prices: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets corrected a reporting error in its hot‑rolled coil (HRC) index for domestic EXW Northern Europe, changing the price from €711.50 to €713.08 per tonne (approximately $784). The same notice fixed two inferred price ranges: green‑steel base price now €813.08‑883.08...
US Scrap Trends Outlook: April 2026
US ferrous scrap prices are projected to fall about 3.1% month‑on‑month in April, with the Fastmarkets Trend Indicator slipping to 46.9, below the neutral 50 threshold. Consensus sentiment hit a record low of 47.0, indicating minimal agreement on future direction....
Extended Proposal to Discontinue Certain Welded, Seamless Tube and Pipe Prices
Fastmarkets has extended its proposal to discontinue eight price assessments for welded and seamless tube and pipe products in Europe and India. The move follows a period of subdued market activity and limited data availability, prompting the firm to retire...
Mining’s Capital Challenge with Sir Mick Davis, Vision Blue Resources
The mining sector faces a paradox: demand for copper, lithium, nickel and rare earths is surging to power the energy transition, yet the cost of capital to develop new projects has reached historic highs. Sir Mick Davis explains that modern...
Guinea Calls Time on Runaway Bauxite Growth | Hotter Commodities
Guinea is abandoning blanket bauxite export caps and will enforce production levels that match each project's original feasibility study commitments. The regime also ties export permissions to value‑addition pledges, such as alumina refining and railway investments. As the world’s top...
Surviving the Squeeze: The Future of South Asia’s Edible Oil Markets
Fastmarkets hosted a webinar analyzing South Asia’s edible‑oil market, highlighting India’s structural reliance on imports despite rising domestic production. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are inflating freight and fertilizer costs, pushing food price inflation higher. Forecasts show Indian palm‑oil...
Ukraine’s New-Crop Grain Offered without Usual Discount to Old-Crop Prices
Ukraine’s new‑crop grain prices are trading virtually level with, or even above, old‑crop values – a rare deviation from the usual discount. New‑crop 11.5% wheat is offered at $234 /tonne FOB, just $2 below the $236 /tonne old‑crop level, while new‑crop corn...
Fastmarkets Proposes Changes to Quality, Tonnage Specifications for Battery-Grade Cif CJK Lithium Salts Assessments
Fastmarkets has issued a consultation proposing new quality, tonnage, payment and shelf‑life specifications for its benchmark battery‑grade lithium‑hydroxide and lithium‑carbonate assessments in the China, Japan and Korea (CJK) market. The draft raises the minimum shipment size from 5 to 18...
The Impact of Energy Prices on European Paper Packaging Buyers’
A surge in Middle East conflict has pushed European energy prices sharply higher, with the Dutch TTF natural‑gas benchmark jumping from about $33 to $74 per megawatt‑hour, a rise of over 60 percent. Because roughly half of paper‑mill energy in...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Launch US Bismuth, Indium Price Assessments: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced plans to introduce fortnightly price assessments for bismuth and indium on a Delivered‑Duty‑Paid (DDP) US basis starting May 1. The bismuth benchmark will be quoted in USD per pound with a minimum 1‑tonne contract, while indium will be priced...
How Major Grid and Energy Operators Are Modernising Indexed Pricing for the Energy Transition
Grid and energy infrastructure operators across Europe are facing a new pricing reality as suppliers shift to volatile, index‑linked contracts for critical metals. To manage this risk, operators are adopting independent market benchmarks and automating pricing workflows. Fastmarkets helped a...
Green Steel Demand: Which Sectors Will Lead the Transition in Europe?
European green‑steel demand remains concentrated in a few high‑impact sectors, with the automotive industry driving most of the growth. By 2035, automotive purchases are projected to account for roughly one‑third of the continent’s low‑carbon steel, while construction’s share slips from...
Open Consultation on Annual Methodology Review for Manganese Ore Indices
Fastmarkets has opened a public consultation, running until April 27 2026, to review the methodology behind three of its manganese ore price indices – a high‑grade CIF Tianjin benchmark and two 36.5% Mn semi‑carbonate indices (CIF Tianjin and FOB Port Elizabeth). The review...
Blue Moon Apex Deal Underscores Gallium, Germanium Supply Push, Refining Gap
Blue Moon Metals completed its acquisition of the Apex mine, a former U.S. producer of gallium, germanium and copper, to re‑establish domestic supply of these critical metals. The deal includes a 0.5% net smelter return royalty for Teck and positions...
Rio Tinto Targets Broader Aluminium Footprint, Division CEO Says
Rio Tinto’s aluminium division is accelerating a global diversification strategy, adding projects in Europe, India and Brazil while expanding its low‑carbon AP60 smelter technology. The AP60 system, already operating in Quebec, reduces greenhouse‑gas emissions to about one‑seventh of the industry...
China’s Green Ferro-Alloys Drive Gathers Pace, but Premium Pricing Remains Elusive – AFA2026
Chinese ferro‑alloy producers are rapidly installing direct‑current (DC) furnaces, delivering 10‑15% electricity savings and lower coke use while aligning with clean‑energy grids. Upstream collaborations, such as South32’s pelletization deal, aim to secure low‑carbon feedstocks, and steelmakers’ decarbonisation projects could boost...
Veg Oils Price Surge: CPO and CME Soyoil Futures Extend Gains
Vegetable oil futures, led by crude palm oil (CPO) and CME soybean oil, surged amid rising crude oil prices and heightened Middle East tensions. The most active May CPO contract on Bursa Malaysia rose 0.93% to 4,541 ringgit per tonne,...
Delayed Publication of India Steel Price Assessments: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced that its India steel price assessments were published on March 20, a day later than scheduled. The delayed release includes domestic and export prices for hot‑dipped galvanized coil, cold‑rolled coil, hot‑rolled coil, heavy plate, billets, and electrical steel,...
Carbon Storage Technologies Could Boost Revenues for Pulp and Paper Producers: Fastmarkets Research
Fastmarkets warns EU ETS free allocation phase‑out will hit about 40% of European pulp mills from 2026. The loss of roughly €4.5 billion in surplus allowances and rising compliance costs pressure already tight margins. Analysts suggest carbon capture and storage (CCS)...
Tungsten 2026: Geopolitics Sets Global Tone
The global tungsten market entered 2026 amid extreme volatility driven by geopolitics, export controls, and resource nationalism. China’s February 2025 export controls on ammonium paratungstate (APT) and other tungsten products triggered a supply shock, pushing APT prices from $900‑$940 to...
Mitsui Locks 40% Josemaria Copper Concentrates Offtake, Fortescue Acquires Cañariaco for $101 Mln
Mitsui & Co secured a 40% off‑take right to copper concentrate from Argentina’s Josemaria deposit, a BHP‑Lundin joint venture containing roughly 4.6 Mt of copper and slated to start production by 2030. The right was purchased from JOGMEC via a public...
Fastmarkets Set to Launch New Rare Earth Spot Prices to Capture Global Trade Outside China
Fastmarkets will introduce three new global spot prices for dysprosium oxide 99.5%, terbium oxide 99.99% and ferro‑dysprosium 80% on March 19. The move responds to Chinese export controls and dwindling non‑Chinese supply, which have forced Japan and other magnet‑dependent economies...
Delayed Publication of European Magnesia Prices
Fastmarkets announced a delayed publication of six European magnesia price indices, covering calcined agricultural, Greek raw, dead‑burned (90% and 95% MgO), fused (97% MgO), and lump forms (90% and 97% MgO). The notice lists the specific product codes (MB‑MAG‑0012, 0013,...