Scrap
Overview
Argus provides comprehensive and detailed coverage of the global ferrous and non-ferrous scrap markets, with over 1,000 prices assessed by a global network of highly skilled market experts.
Argus’ strength lies in our ability to create appropriate methodologies for the trading dynamics of a specific spot market and to provide mechanisms for valuing scrap alloys.
Participants in the scrap industry rely on our extensive price data to act as an independent contract settlement mechanism, and use our powerful tools, like the Argus Alloy Calculator, to estimate the intrinsic value of highly engineered alloys.
Ferrous coverage
Argus offers a comprehensive regional view of the most active spot markets for ferrous scrap in regions around the world. Each price is available for direct comparison in multiple markets, with currency and unit of measurement conversions available to standardise charts and facilitate detection of favourable trade conditions.
Distinguished by either fob dealer or delivered to consumer inco terms, all prices are aligned with common industry specifications for that region. Explore the full list of scrap prices and specifications, including the length of history available on the Argus Metals platform for the grades assessed.
- Bundles
- Busheling
- Foundry/specialty
- Heavy melt
- Machine shop turnings
- Plate and structural
- Shredded scrap
- Tool steel
- Stainless and super alloys
- Alloy Calculator, where the current value of any alloy can be calculated by an intrinsic value formula in the absence of sufficient liquidity to produce a proper assessment
Non-ferrous coverage
Argus provides the full range of non-ferrous coverage from scrap price assessments on UBC, zorba, taint, tweak, and twitch products, as well as exchange data (30-minute delay LME and Comex prices are standard with Argus products) and global base metal premiums. Explore the full list of scrap prices in each non-ferrous category and visit the exchange data page to understand the unique value that Argus brings through its analysis of global exchange prices.
- Aluminium prices
- Aluminium alloy prices
- Brass/bronze prices
- Copper prices
- Lead prices
- Nickel prices
- Stainless and alloys
- Zinc prices
- Alloy Calculator, including over 200 predefined common alloys
- Exchange data
Highlights of North American coverage
Argus’ coverage of the North American scrap market focuses on spot market trading patterns within the most active regional domestic trading locations, as well as on export transactions. The full value chain is represented in the suite of Argus scrap assessments, from collected at yard to delivered to consumer prices:
- 8 containerised scrap price locations
- 14 consumer buying scrap price locations, including US and Canada
- 8 export yard scrap buying price locations
- 4 dealer selling scrap price locations
- 139 regional US and Canada non-ferrous scrap yard collection prices
- Prime and obsolete grades of scrap price assessments
- Mill and foundry grades of scrap price assessments: Titanium, stainless and scrap alloy pricing
- Southern US busheling and shredded weighted average assessments
Highlights of European coverage
Argus Scrap Markets provides context and intelligence to European domestic scrap markets to help steel mills, scrap suppliers, buyers and industrial manufacturers gain a greater understanding of the markets in which they operate. Argus produces over 50 European scrap prices assessments, including:
- German domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Spanish domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Spanish imported scrap prices
- UK domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Russia, including St Petersburg, dockside price
Highlights of Asian coverage
Argus carries Asian scrap prices from a variety of mature scrap-generating markets, and provides insightful analysis of deep-sea trades and short-sea trades. Argus covers the full scope of steel mill purchasing activity for electric arc furnace-based production, including stainless and engineered steels, in recognition of the global nature of many steel feedstocks purchased by mills across the world:
- Taiwan imported ferrous scrap prices
- India imported ferrous scrap prices
- Pakistan imported ferrous scrap prices
- Bangladesh imported ferrous scrap prices
- China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan imported aluminium scrap prices
- China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan imported copper scrap prices
Argus carries a variety of global scrap prices in each of its three core products — Argus Scrap Markets, Argus Ferrous Markets and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets. To discover the combination of products that will provide the most complete coverage to serve your company’s needs, contact us for a consultation. Information about Argus subscription options can be found here.
Latest scrap news
Browse the latest market moving news on the scrap industry.
Accident disrupts coal deliveries to Australian port
Accident disrupts coal deliveries to Australian port
Shanghai, 28 June (Argus) — An accident on the Blackwater railway system has disrupted coal exports from Australia's 102mn t/yr Gladstone port in Queensland, which may take some time to resolve. The accident occurred on the main Blackwater rail line that connects coking and thermal coal mines in the lower and middle Bowen basin into Gladstone, including the Curragh, Jellinbah East, Blackwater and Kestrel coking coal mines, as well as the Rolleston and Minerva thermal coal mines. A truck collided with a car at Raglan — 50km north of Gladstone — at approximately 3am Australian Eastern Standard Time (5pm GMT) on 28 June, bringing down overhead power lines and coming to a stop across the railway track. "The accident is affecting coal services on the Blackwater system, together with freight and passenger trains which use this rail corridor," a spokesperson at Queensland Coal Network operator Aurizon told Argus . Recovery work is under way and the repair process is "expected to take a number of days" to restore the line, according to Aurizon. It is unclear how long repair works may take, although it is likely to be less than a week, an Australia-based source suggested. "It's still a bit early to say [what the impact will be]," another source said. "I'd guess they will try and get one line back up and running at a slower throughput rate while other lines/electrics are fixed." The Moura rail system — which also delivers coal into Gladstone — continues to operate, delivering coal from the lower grade coking coal and pulverised coal injection (PCI) grade mines of Dawson and Baralaba. The Gladstone RG Tanna coal terminal has a vessel queue of 12 as of 25 June, from 13 on 21 May and 23 on 23 April, although this may climb if the derailment disrupts coal deliveries for more than a few days. Hard coking coal typically accounts for around a third of Gladstone's total exports, with lower-grade coking coal and thermal coal each accounting for a third. Tighter supplies ahead The accident is expected to further tighten supplies, especially with upcoming rail closures and maintenance on some of Aurizon's coal-hauling networks in July-August. The closure will involve one planned 96-hour maintenance closure on the Blackwater system and a 84-hour planned closure of the Gregory branch of the rail system. The rail operator will also carry out bridge renewal work, with one track and a two-track bridge closed for two weeks, based on plans announced last year. "It is acknowledged that [this] will result in some capacity constraints during that period," an Aurizon spokesperson said on 7 June. Argus last assessed the premium hard coking coal price at $237/t fob Australia on 27 June, down from $249.50/t on 3 June. The fob Australia low-volatile PCI price was assessed at $186.85/t fob Australia on 27 June, up from $169.15/t on 3 June. The price spread between fob Australia premium low-volatile coking coal and low-volatile PCI has tightened gradually in the last six months, from $143.35/t on 2 January to $50.15/t on 27 June. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US House panel advances waterways’ projects bill
US House panel advances waterways’ projects bill
Houston, 27 June (Argus) — A Congressional committee on Wednesday advanced a bill to authorize a bundle of US port and river infrastructure projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) biennially authorizes projects handled by the Corps' civil works program aimed at improving shipping operations at the nation's ports and harbors, and along the inland waterway system. The traditionally bipartisan legislation also approves flood and storm programs, and work on other aspects of water resources infrastructure. The House of Representatives' Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday passed the bill by a 61-2 vote. The Senate Committee on Environmental and Public Works passed its own version of the bill on 22 May by a 19-0 vote. Neither the full Senate nor House have yet voted on the bills, which will need a conference committee to sort out different versions. A key difference is that the House bill did not include an adjustment to the cost-sharing structure for lock and dam construction and major rehabilitation projects. The Senate measure adjusted the funding mechanism so that 75pc of costs would be paid for by the US Treasury Department's general fund, with the rest coming from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The 2022 version of the bill made permanent an increase to 65pc from the general fund and 35pc from the trust fund, which is funded by a barge diesel fuel tax. The House committee's decision not to include the funding change drew disappointment from shipping interests. The Waterways Council was "disappointed that the House did not include a provision to modernize the inland waterways system", but was hopeful that conference negotiations would result in its inclusion, Tracy Zea, chief executive of the group, said. The latest House version of the bill authorizes 12 projects and 160 new feasibility studies. Among the projects receiving approval were modifications to the Seagirt Loop Channel near the Baltimore Harbor in Maryland. The federal government would pay $47.9mn towards an estimate $63.9mn project to widen the channel, which would help meet future demand for capacity within the Port of Baltimore. That would include increased container volume at the Seagirt Marine Terminal. The project was in the works before the 26 March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge temporarily diverted freight from Seagirt and many other port terminals. The committee also authorized $314.25mn towards a resiliency study of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The study would consider hurricane and storm damage and identify ways to improve navigation, reduce the maintenance requirements, and provide resiliency. The waterway connects ports along the Gulf of Mexico from St Marks, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas. The House version of the bill also includes provisions to strengthen flood control, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. "Critically, WRDA 2024 will help communities increase resiliency in the face of climate change," representative Rick Larsen (D-WA) said. By Abby Caplan and Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Vietnam’s ferrous scrap imports hit 10-month low in May
Vietnam’s ferrous scrap imports hit 10-month low in May
Shanghai, 26 June (Argus) — Vietnam's ferrous scrap imports continued to fall in May and reached its lowest level since July 2023, owing to lower scrap consumption in the country's steel market. The country imported 296,000t of scrap in May, down by 27pc on the month and by 2pc on the year. This brought total imports for January-May down by 7pc on the year to 1.99mn t. The decline in May's import volume was driven by higher arrivals in February-April and continuing weakness in the domestic steel market. Hot-rolled coil prices in Vietnam's domestic market remained near three-year lows at $535/t in May, as local steelmakers were forced to reduce sales prices to compete with cheaper China-origin coils. The long steel market faced similar challenges, with no signs of improvement in the real estate industry. Imports from the US plummeted by 72pc on the year in January-May to 118,000t, marking the sharpest drop in shipments to Vietnam. This was because Vietnamese steelmakers opted for smaller cargoes from short-sea suppliers over deep-sea bulk cargoes from the US. But imports of short-sea cargoes fromJapan and Hong Kong increased by 53pc and 48pc on the year, respectively in January-May. Japanese traders aimed to deliver more cargoes to Vietnam, as sales to South Korea and Taiwan dropped significantly given lower demand and more attractive scrap prices from other origins. Vietnam's scrap imports are expected to remain subdued in the coming months given adequate domestic scrap availability and declining seaborne steel demand, according to many trade sources. Vietnam ferrous scrap imports t Country May % ± vs Apr % ± vs May '23 Jan-May % ± on year Japan 152,046 -13.6 79.3 1,018,592 52.8 Hong Kong 54,965 13.0 77.5 192,077 48.1 US 46,506 -10.2 -52.3 118,391 -71.5 Australia 381 -98.9 -90.5 242,777 2.0 Others 41,851 -56.4 -50.5 413,353 -19.6 Total 295,749 -27.4 -2.0 1,985,190 -7.1 Source: Vietnam Customs Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UK government approves steel safeguard extension
UK government approves steel safeguard extension
London, 26 June (Argus) — The UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade has finally approved the Trade Remedies Authority's recommendation to extend steel safeguard duties. The TRA recommended the extension of the import safeguards until June 2026, and the minister has today approved them, just ahead of the 30 June deadline. Participants across the marketplace have been eagerly anticipating the decision, and in some areas this long wait has contributed to a paralysis in trade, alongside weak real consumption. Large decoilers and service centres in the hot-rolled coil market have been postponing procurement decisions in the event the safeguard lapsed — there was a perception among some that this could pressure prices, meaning buyers held off. "Today's decision by the secretary of state to maintain UK steel safeguards is vital to the sector at a time of rising global steelmaking overcapacity and trade deflection from other protected markets," Gareth Stace, UK Steel director-general, said. The government has not yet approved the TRA's other recommendation to suspend import quotas on HRC, given increased volumes that will be required by Tata Steel as it switches off its blast furnaces, imports slab and finished product. If no decision is made by 1 July, this could mean importers facing duties — two companies surveyed by Argus have almost 50,000t of Indian HRC to clear into the July-September other countries' quota, which has historically been around 22,000t/quarter. Tata has asked for its own quota, a suggestion opposed by many traders and importers who believe it would be unfair to give the company its own volume. By Colin Richardson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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