Capesize hits a new norm at $25,000 level

Capesize rates had a meteoric rise for the week, jumping from $13,000 base level to over $25,000 level by the end of week on good shipping demand. The Capesize 5 time charter average made a gain of $231 day-on-day to $25,511 on Friday, spotting one of the smallest gains of the week as compared to …

Iron Ore – and so it begins

Big questions have been asked in recent weeks about the iron ore rally, with many financial institutions forecasting that we will see a weakening of prices in the second half of 2020. Brazil continues to have serious control issues with COVID-19 and seemingly no plan to lockdown the country on a grand scale. Vale won …

DCE corrects amid market uncertainty

Chinese futures slid at the start of the week as trade participants seek for clearer market directions. The most-actively traded iron ore futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE), for September delivery, went down by 2.21% to RMB 753.50 per tonne on Monday. Likewise, the steel rebar contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange also slipped …

FIS Steel & Scrap Update – 22nd June

Turkish import prices retreat $8 since Wednesday Jul and Aug scrap futures trade $257/t and $260/t respectively Turkish import prices have softened $8 since last Wednesday amid a slow up in physical buying activity. The scrap futures curve continues to hold its relatively flat nature, July futures traded at $257/t, whilst August printed at $260/t …

Oil Through the Looking Glass 22/6/20

*Crude Holds Above $42* Oil this morning is holding onto recent gains, staying above the $42 mark on Brent. Brent crude’s prompt spread was in backwardation for a third day, a bullish market structure that indicates tightening supply. It flipped from contango on Thursday for the first time since March. Meanwhile in the US oil …

FIS Fuel Oil Morning Report 22/06/2020

Brent crude fell 10 cents, or 0.2%, to $42.04 a barrel by 0655 GMT, while U.S. crude was at $39.72 a barrel, down 11 cents, or 0.3%. Both contracts rose about 9% last week and Brent crude futures have flipped into backwardation, so that oil for immediate delivery costs more than that to be provided …

Positive Outlook from U.S. Steelmakers

A traumatic start to the year for U.S. steel makers may now be behind them after some of the largest producers offered positive outlooks for the rest of the year.   Non-residential construction in the U.S has remained resilient compared to the consumer sector in recent months. With it looking increasingly like the worst of …