Special Materials

S&P Metals

• Chinese smelters agree copper concs TC with Antofagasta at $80/mt for 2024 term contracts
  Leading Chinese copper smelters Jiangxi copper, Tongling Nonferrous and China Copper have agreed to settle copper concentrate treatment and refining charges (TC/RC) with Chilean miner Antofagasta at $80/mt and 8.0 cent/lb respectively on Dec. 1, the companies told S&P Global Commodity Insights. Jinchuan Group initially settled TC/RCs for 2024 annual term contracts with Antofagasta on […]
• Recycled polymers demand set to ease in Q1 on regulatory woes, global uncertainty
  Global recycled polymer markets are likely to slow down early next year, as manufacturers worldwide scramble to secure post-consumer resin to meet mandated or voluntary commitments and as recyclers struggle to procure enough feedstock to meet this demand. Market sources have highlighted voluntary targets from some brand owners looking to include post-consumer recycled polyethylene and […]
• VCMI releases 'ready to use' guidance for buyers of carbon credits
  The Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative released an updated set of guardrails Nov. 27 to help buyers make high-integrity claims on their use of carbon credits, as the market remained mired in a credibility crisis. The new guidance includes a Monitoring, Reporting and Assurance (MRA) Framework and a Carbon Integrity Claims brand, encouraging corporates to […]
• Ukraine marine corridor, Kavkaz and Constanta ports shut amid storm: traders
  Some ports in Ukraine, Russia and Romania have been forced to close amid ongoing storms in the Black Sea region affecting loading operations and exports from these ports, according to traders. "The [Ukraine] corridor was closed because of heavy storms since Friday [Nov. 24], but this morning vessels began to sail out but I think […]
• Nissan expands EV production at UK Sunderland plant with GBP2 billion investment
  Carmaker Nissan will ramp up electric vehicle production at its Sunderland plant in the UK by adding two more EV models for production, spending GBP2 billion on the expansion, the company said Nov. 24. Nissan said the expansion would require a third gigafactory for battery production in addition to the existing factory owned by lithium-ion […]
• Colder weather, renewed demand could push EU ETS prices closer to Eur80/mt
  Carbon prices under the EU Emissions Trading System are starting to show signs of a demand recovery after a volatile few months, with analysts and traders expecting more upside amid higher European gas and power prices aided by colder weather. European allowances for December were trading at Eur76.95/mtCO2e ($83.97/mtCO2e) as of 1144 GMT on Nov. […]
• Mongolian met coal supply to China via Ganqimaodu slips on week due to winter
  Mongolian metallurgical coal shipments to China through the Ganqimaodu land port declined in the week to Nov. 12 amid winter weighing on coal deliveries, but overall year-to-date shipments remained sharply higher on the year, analysts and sources said Nov. 23. Ganqimaodu, the largest land border port in Inner Mongolia, has allowed the transportation of Mongolian […]
• China's steel scrap supply set to rise in Q4, usage to increase
  China's steel scrap supply in the fourth quarter of 2023 is expected to be higher than the third quarter, mostly led by a gradual bump up in run rates by steel recyclers and amid government calls for renovation of "urban villages," analysts and sources said in the week to Nov. 24. Urban villages in China […]
• Brazil steelmakers confident government will hike import tax as output slides
  Brazilian steel executives said Nov. 23 they are confident the government will raise national steel import taxes to preserve production, employment and investment levels at domestic mills amid an import surge. The new measures may be taken as soon as the end of this year to take effect early in 2024, said Jefferson de Paula, […]
• Steel raw materials markets moving into Q1 with optimism on demand, pricing increases
  Steel raw materials markets hoped for stronger demand and higher forward pricing cues this week, with buyers and traders converging in Dubai showing cautious optimism after a weak fourth quarter. At a Liberty Steel event Nov. 21 around a regional industry conference, iron ore suppliers, steel and ferroalloy producers and traders discussed the restart of […]