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Nucor keeps plate prices flat

  • : Metals
  • 23/10/03

Electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaker Nucor has kept its ex-works discrete plate prices unchanged.

The company announced on 28 September that its discrete plate prices would remain flat at $1,530/short ton (st) for thicknesses from 0.375-2in and widths of 72-120in. Between 2.25-3in thick is priced at $1,570/st.

Orders are now being taken for November production.

Quench and tempered and normalized plate pricing both stayed flat at $2,385/st and $1,730/st, respectively.

Spot plate prices assessed by Argus remained below Nucor's announced level this week at $1,470/st on limited trades.


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24/12/03

Mexico factory contraction eases in November

Mexico factory contraction eases in November

Mexico City, 3 December (Argus) — Mexico's manufacturing sector contracted again in November, but at a slower pace than the previous month, according to the Mexican finance executive association's (IMEF) latest purchasing managers index (PMI) surveys. The manufacturing PMI rose to 48.3 from 47.2 in October, inching closer to the 50-point threshold that signals expansion. Still, the index remained in contraction territory for an eighth consecutive month. "There is some stabilization in the loss of economic momentum recorded in previous months," IMEF noted, but the overall trend reflects "stagnation or the absence of solid expansion in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors." Manufacturing accounts for about a fifth of Mexico's economy. Within the manufacturing PMI, the new order index increased by 1.3 points to 47.3 but stayed in contraction. Production fell by 0.5 points to 46.1, with both sub-indicators in contraction for an eighth month. In contrast, non-manufacturing industries—including services and commerce—moved into expansion territory, rising to 50.5 in November from 49.3 in October. New orders in this sector climbed 2.1 points to 51.5, production rose 1.8 points to 50.5 and employment rose by 1.2 points to 49.1, though it remained in contraction for a fifth consecutive month. Inflation concerns raised Looking ahead, IMEF highlighted potential inflationary pressures tied to US President-elect Donald Trump's policies. These include possible supply chain disruptions driven by escalating conflicts with Russia and in the Middle East as Trump shifts toward a more transactional approach with traditional allies. IMEF also warned that Trump may seek to influence the US Federal Reserve to accelerate rate cuts, further fueling inflation. Domestically, deregulation and tighter migration constraints may fail to ease trade bottlenecks. Meanwhile, tax cuts without corresponding spending reductions could add significant upward pressure on prices, IMEF said. By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australia’s BHP and APA partner to cut GHG emissions


24/12/03
24/12/03

Australia’s BHP and APA partner to cut GHG emissions

Sydney, 3 December (Argus) — Australian energy firm APA Group has opened a solar farm and battery storage facility at Western Australia's Port Hedland in a move designed to support mineral giant BHP's emissions-reduction goals. APA's plant will power most of BHP's Port Hedland operations from January 2025, under the terms of a power purchase agreement signed between the two firms. Work on the project began last year, supported by a A$1.5mn ($970,000) grant from Western Australia's Clean Energy Future Fund. BHP is planning to reduce its operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30pc from 2020 levels within the next six years, without using carbon credit schemes. In the 2023-24 financial year, the company's operational GHG emissions were 32pc lower than 2020 levels at 9.2mn t of CO2 equivalent, despite increasing 2pc on the year. BHP exports Western Australian iron ore through Port Hedland. Shipping data indicates that the company loaded an average of 5.94mn dwt/week of ore over the last three months . Argus ' iron ore fines 65pc Fe cfr Qingdao price was relatively stable over that period, growing from $113/t to $117/t. The Port Hedland opening comes just weeks after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government updated Australia's national emissions projection to forecast a 65.7pc baseline drop in electricity emissions, relative to 2020 levels, by the end of the decade. The government was forecasting a more modest 53pc decline in electricity emissions last year. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Liberty units to be repaid in Speciality restructuring


24/11/29
24/11/29

Liberty units to be repaid in Speciality restructuring

London, 29 November (Argus) — GFG Alliance entities Marble Power and Liberty Fe Trade DMCC will be excluded from Liberty Speciality Steel's restructuring plan, meaning they will be repaid, according to documents seen by Argus . GFG Alliance is the overall parent of Liberty Steel and all its subsidiaries. Speciality Steel owes and will pay Marble Power, its power supplier, around £11.5mn. Liberty Fe Trade is owed £1.4mn for the procurement of software licences, and will not have sufficient reserves to cover those licences without being paid. Liberty declined to comment. In total, GFG Alliance entities are owed over £288mn by Speciality Steel, but aside from Marble Power and Liberty Fe Trade, those claims will be released, reflecting a "significant contribution" from the wider parent, according to the restructuring documentation. In the event that Speciality Steel creditors accept its restructuring, enabling the company to keep operating, it will reduce its higher-margin aerospace work "as it is unable to retain quantities produced during the last two years for its largest two customers beyond the first half of 2025", Liberty's business plan states. Two main aerospace customers are supporting the business through upfront payments and premiums for accelerate deliveries, but this arrangement will end by May 2025, after which aerospace work will be significantly reduced. Key customers will provide £27.5mn in cash support to January 2025. As the aerospace work winds down, the company will "hire out the excess capacity to another steel producer", and discussions about this are continuing. Market sources have said Speciality could produce billet for British Steel's rolling operations. Going forward, Speciality will focus on vacuum-induction melting at Stocksbridge for other industries, such as oil and gas, and industrial engineering. Speciality will also source steel — including semi-finished products — externally to "increase deliverability of customer products". The business plan envisages the ebitda margin increasing from minus 188pc in February-March 2025 to 2pc in 2026. The plan assumes steady production through the year, other than seasonally reduced capacity in December and August. This would be a big change from this year, with just 50,000t of steel emerging from the electric arc furnace, which has a capacity closer to 1mn t/yr. By Colin Richardson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Japan’s Al imports rebound in October


24/11/29
24/11/29

Japan’s Al imports rebound in October

Shanghai, 29 November (Argus) — Japanese aluminium imports hit a peak for the year in October as buyers began restocking after a few months of inactivity. Imports of primary aluminium in October increased by 41.8pc from September and 20pc from the previous year, totalling 103,989t. This brought the total imports from January to October to 870,942t, marking a 0.6pc decrease compared with the same period last year, data from the Japanese finance ministry shows. India surpassed other major suppliers in October to become the largest supplier for the first time. Japanese buyers maintained low price expectations, pushing many suppliers to redirect their allocation to other markets owing to tight supply. Production of domestic aluminium goods in October decreased by 1.1pc year on year to 149,884t, according to the Japan Aluminium Association. Domestic shipments of aluminium products increased slightly by 1.1pc year on year to 151,077t, marking the first rise in three months. The car production and construction sectors remained quiet. Japan's domestic automobile production in October was largely stable year on year, but the number of new housing projects decreased by 0.6pc to 68,548 units in September, according to the latest industrial data. Japan's imports of secondary aluminium alloy ingots (ADC12) also hit a one-year high in October, increasing by 37.2pc year on year and reaching 110,680t, data from the finance ministry show. Japan's aluminium imports t Oct-24 Sep-24 ± % Jan-Oct 2024 Jan-Oct 2023 ± % India 22,897 1,466 1,461.6 93,753 68,942 36.0 Australia 22,830 21,997 3.8 235,745 245,798 -4.1 Brazil 14,895 11,302 31.8 142,514 137,261 3.8 UAE 10,481 5,973 75.5 93,544 76,189 22.8 New Zealand 7,983 8,497 -6.0 88,547 93,991 -5.8 South Africa 5,756 7,984 -27.9 63,314 56,827 11.4 Saudi Arabia 3,543 3,257 8.8 30,726 31,612 -2.8 Malaysia 3,199 5,807 -44.9 34,438 38,443 -10.4 Bahrain 2,207 878 151.3 15,645 30,463 -48.6 Russia 503 139 260.9 22,343 70,591 -68.3 Others 9,695 6,027 60.8 50,374 25,852 94.9 Total 103,989 73,327 41.8 870,942 875,969 -0.6 Source: Ministry of Finance Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Tharisa’s profits up on higher chrome production


24/11/28
24/11/28

Tharisa’s profits up on higher chrome production

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