Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Thursday February 13 that are worth another look.
The China Iron & Steel Association (Cisa) is seeking the Chinese transport ministry’s help to solve logistical problems experienced by steelmakers in recent weeks, especially those affecting the delivery of raw materials, market sources told Fastmarkets.
The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has not affected China Hongqiao Group’s aluminium production, which is operating at its full running capacity of 5.86 million tonnes in Shandong province, the company confirmed to Fastmarkets.
Chinese smelters increased their high-carbon ferro-chrome production over the past year to an unprecedented level that exceeded demand from downstream stainless steel mills, putting pressure on both alloy and chrome ore prices.
Chinese producer Ganfeng plans to increase its battery-grade lithium hydroxide prices by no more than 10% due to higher transportation fees and production costs resulting from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, it said on February 13.
Chinese imports of ferro-niobium fell to 2,915 tonnes in December 2019, a fall of 51% from 5,953 tonnes in November and down 26.1% from about 3,947 tonnes in December 2018, according to official (but unconfirmed) data seen by Fastmarkets.
www.metalbulletin.com
