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Singapore's Abaxx Commodities Exchange thinks a new nickel sulphate contract could be the answer. The sulphate market has been forecast by research house Roskill to grow at an annual rate of 22% over the current decade as the green mobility revolution accelerates. China's imports of nickel sulphateTRADE BOOMChina's surging imports of nickel sulphate are a reflection of the product's stunning growth as battery cathode input. China's nickel imports by product 2020-2023PRICING PROBLEMSNone of this new Indonesia-China nickel trade has a natural exchange pricing home. LME nickel trading volumes have stabilised but are still running significantly below levels seen prior to the March 2022 trading halt.

Persons: Antara, It's, Roskill, Mike Harrison Organizations: PT Vale Indonesia, REUTERS Acquire, London Metal Exchange, Abaxx Commodities, Canadian, Technologies, Shanghai Futures Exchange, EV, Imports, China's, Class, Global Commodity Holdings, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, China, Finland, South Africa, South Korea

☆ Column: South Korea's Gwangyang is the new LME aluminium battleground
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Andy Home | Thomson Reuters | Senior Metals Columnist Who Previously Covered Industrial Metals Markets For Metals Week | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

LONDON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The South Korean port of Gwangyang has emerged as the new hub for storing London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminium. Another 54,000 metric tons of aluminium have arrived in the intervening week, promising more turns of the storage carousel. LME aluminium stocks at Gwangyang and Port KlangGWANGYANG GRABS THE SPOTLIGHTA total 198,125 metric tons of aluminium were warranted at LME warehouses in Gwangyang in the first quarter of this year, most of it arriving in four single-day clips. Gwangyang LME aluminium stocks, arrivals and drawdownsRUSSIAN METAL NOW DOMINATESThe competition to store LME aluminium during periods of weak demand is not new. The Gwangyang aluminium storage wars may just be starting.

Persons: Gwangyang, ISTIM, Henry Bath, Sharon Singleton Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Glencore, ISTIM, Pac Global Services, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gwangyang, Malaysia's Port Klang, Port, Rotterdam, Busan, South Korea, Port Klang, Malaysian, Detroit, Vlissingen, ISTIM

The great destock has resulted in a significantly slimmed-down LME warehouse network. The number of exchange-registered warehouse units has fallen by 151 over the last two years. LME storage space at the latter has grown by 35,000 square metres to 249,000 since the end of September last year. LME warehouse operator Istim has been expanding its presence, listing 24 units over the last year. But it's decidedly good news for LME warehouse operators.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, It's, Kloosterboer, Istim, Jane Merriman Organizations: London, Halley Metals, Pac Global Services, Infinity Logistics, HK, Rotterdam, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Krasnoyarsk, Siberian, Detroit, COVID, Ukraine, Spain, Antwerp, Vlissingen, Rotterdam, KOREA, Singapore, Malaysia's Port Klang, Busan, Incheon, Gwangyang, LME, Port Klang, China, United States, Europe

The London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month copper price has been oscillating in a $7,800-8,870 per metric ton range since May as old and new price drivers compete. The gyration in net positioning is partly a reflection of copper's own choppy range-trading with many black box funds configured to react to changes in directional momentum. Money managers have lifted outright short positions on CME copper to 69,707 contracts, the largest collective bear bet on lower prices since early 2020. The net short position of 18,127 contracts is a sign the bears are in the ascendancy. The key takeaway from speculative positioning on both U.S. and London markets is that fund players are betting bigger on copper.

Persons: Ricardo Moreno, San Pedro de Barva, Juan Carlos Ulate, Long, Copper, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, London Metal Exchange, CME, Zhongrong International, Co, Fund, Thomson, Reuters Locations: San Pedro, Costa Rica, China, Beijing, London, United States, Europe

LME three-month zinc hit a near three-year low of $2,215 per metric ton in May. LME zinc price stocks and spreadsSQUEEZE DRAWS OUT HIDDEN METALThe trigger for the current spate of arrivals in the LME warehouse system appears to have been a sharp contraction in short-dated time-spreads earlier this month. If so, the game is on in Singapore, which has accounted for all the recent arrivals bar 1,000 metric tons at Malaysia's Port Klang. A total 31,500 metric tons of zinc were warranted in the city in July along with 5,125 metric tons of lead and 625 metric tons of tin. In the interim, there is plenty of potential for more metal to head towards LME storage sheds.

Persons: Ilya Naymushin, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, London Metal Exchange, Citibank, Low, Study, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Angara, Novoangars, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia's Port Klang ., East Asia, China, Europe, Ireland

☆ Manasquan, N.J.: A Beach Town Where Kids ‘Have a Little More Freedom’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Jill P. Capuzzo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Fabricio and Amy Pazmino started thinking about leaving their home in Colts Neck, N.J., to move somewhere on the Jersey Shore, they immediately thought of a place where they had spent several happy post-college summers, packed into small beach bungalows with friends for season-long rentals. After nearly five years of searching — and repeatedly being outbid — the Pazminos finally found their beach house this year: a four-bedroom, four-bath home in Manasquan, near the Glimmer Glass inlet, that they bought for $970,000. The colonial-style house, which they moved into in March with their three daughters, was built in the 1970s, but they refer to it as a “post-Sandy home,” because it is one of many in this oceanfront borough that were severely damaged and rebuilt after the hurricane swept up the coast in 2012. That storm set in motion a process that has changed the image of this formerly funky beach town. Less than 10 years later, an influx of city people seeking refuge during Covid helped cement the Monmouth County borough’s more polished image.

Persons: Fabricio, Amy Pazmino, —, Sandy Locations: Colts Neck, N.J, Jersey Shore, Manasquan, oceanfront, Monmouth

REUTERS/David GrayLONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (RIO.L) is finding out just how hard it is to produce low-carbon aluminium. The company's biggest carbon headache is its aluminium business, which last year accounted for 21.1 million metric tons of carbon emissions out of a group total of 30.3 million metric tons. The pilot plant will produce around 6,000 metric tons of alumina per year while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,000 metric tons per year. Capacity at the low-carbon AP60 smelter, also in Quebec, will be expanded by 160,000 metric tons per year, with commissioning expected in 2026. Rio is investing heavily in recycled aluminium, which can be remelted using just 5% of the power needed to produce virgin metal.

Persons: David Gray, Rio, we're, Jakob Stausholm, Peter Cunningham, Jan Harvey Organizations: Rio Tinto, REUTERS, David Gray LONDON, Queensland Aluminium, Japan's Sumitomo Corp, International Aluminium Institute, Alcoa, Giampaolo, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Rio, Gove, Darwin, Australia's Northern, Pacific, Queensland, Australia, Portland, U.S, Canada, Quebec, North

However, the continued strength of copper raw material imports is translating into record domestic refined metal production, a structural shift towards self-sufficiency that is likely to dampen demand for imported units going forwards. China's imports and exports of unwrought refined copperLOWER REFINED COPPER IMPORTSChina imported 1.65 million metric tons of refined copper in the first half of 2023, down by 12% on the first half of last year and the lowest first-half tally since 2019. China's huge copper imports are offset against a smaller outbound flow of metal mostly produced under raw materials tolling contracts. China's monthly imports of copper reyclablesMORE CONCENTRATES AND SCRAPWhile China's refined copper appetite waned in the first half of the year, its imports of mined concentrates continued to accelerate. The continued strength of raw material flows into China, however, suggests any recovery in refined metal shipments may be more muted than expected.

Persons: Chile, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Democratic, China's CMOC, Shanghai Metal, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Beijing, Europe, United States

Norwegian producer Norsk Hydro (NHY.OL) has called for the exchange to reconsider its decision last November to continue accepting deliveries of Russian metal. China imported 462,000 metric tons of Russian-brand primary aluminium last year, up from 291,000 metric tons in 2021. The country has emerged as the market of first resort for Russian metal since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The top two destinations for June's "exports" were Japan (10,000 metric tons) and South Korea (20,500 metric tons). China's aluminium run-rate fell by an annualised 636,000 metric tons over the first quarter, according to the International Aluminium Institute.

Persons: Rusal, Goldman Sachs, ingot, isn't, Jane Merriman Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Norsk Hydro, Hydro, Rusal, International Aluminium Institute, AZ Global, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Norwegian, Russian, China, United States, Europe, Asia, Ukraine, Japan, South Korea, Gwangyang, CHINA, Yunnan

The steady stream of Chinese shipments has served to plug supply gaps in Western markets and helped replenish depleted London Metal Exchange (LME) stocks. China's export impulse is keeping the local market tight, which appears to be attracting a lot of speculative attention to the Shanghai lead contract. The three top destinations over the first half of 2023 were Taiwan (17,500 metric tons), Vietnam (16,100 metric tons) and Bangladesh (10,300 metric tons). LME STOCKS REBUILDSome of China's outbound shipments have been trickling into the LME warehouse system. ShfFE lead price, MOI and stocksCHINA TIGHTNESSWhile LME stocks have been rising, ShFE inventory has been sliding.

Persons: It's, Emelia Sithole Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Shanghai Futures Exchange, China, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Europe, United States, Asia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kaohsiung, Singapore, Stolberg, MOI, CHINA, London

How much more will arrive in the market of last resort depends on China, which is stepping up imports of refined zinc. China's refined zinc imports, exports and net tradeCHINA FLIPS BACK TO NET IMPORTERChina imported 45,329 metric tons of refined zinc in June, the highest monthly tally since May 2021. The country exported 81,000 metric tons of zinc in 2022, including shipments of 7,800 metric tons to Mexico and 3,400 metric tons to the United States, two destinations that haven't in the past featured in China's zinc trade. The country's monthly refined zinc production has been notching double-digit growth rates since March. So far, however, there is scant evidence of a significant build of surplus metal in the mainland market.

Persons: It's, Paul Simao Organizations: London Metal Exchange, China, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Shanghai Metal, International, Study, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Asian, contango, China, CHINA, Mexico, United States, backwardation, Shanghai, Europe, Antwerp

LONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - Copper's electrical conductivity makes it a core component of the green energy transition, whether it be in the form of solar panels, electric vehicles or wind turbines. Which begs the question of where it might be if funds were collectively to buy into the green copper story. Fund positioning on the CME copper contractCHOPPY COPPERMoney manager net positioning on the CME copper contract has been flipping between long and short in recent weeks as LME copper chops around in a $8,140-8,870 range. China's recovery has disappointed copper bulls and funds shifted to the short side in May, coinciding with LME copper hitting the lower end of its trading range. Both volumes and open interest have perked up this year, but the driver appears to have been the China reopening story rather than the longer-term green energy narrative.

Persons: Conor Humphries Organizations: Citi, London Metal Exchange, CME, Traders, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China

Investment in the critical minerals pipeline grew by 20% in 2021 and by 30% in 2022, led by lithium, copper and nickel. Although prices of some critical minerals such as copper have eased over the last year due to recession in the "old economy", prices for most critical minerals remain well above historical averages as supply struggles to catch up with demand. Production trends for nickel and cobaltLIMITED DIVERSIFICATIONThere has been only limited success in diversifying the geographical sourcing of critical minerals in recent years, the IEA said. China, which already dominates lithium processing, accounts for half of the world's planned new lithium chemical plants. Moreover, China's move to control exports of gallium and germanium underlines the concentration of supply in a host of smaller, esoteric metals that feed into the critical minerals landscape.

Persons: China's, IRENA, David Evans, Mark Potter Organizations: International Energy Agency, Investment, IEA, International Renewable Energy Agency, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Canada, Australia, China, Indonesia, United States, Europe, South America

Metal has been arriving almost daily in response to a sharp squeeze across the front part of the LME tin curve. LME and ShFE tin stocksLME SQUEEZE, BUT NO PHYSICAL TIGHTNESSThe tightness on the LME tin contract does not seem to have reflected any shortage of tin in the physical market. The LME squeeze appears to have been more a clash of positioning in what can at times be a relatively illiquid market. Fund positioning on the LME tin contractSUPPLY DISRUPTION LOOMSWhile tin supply has recovered from early-year disruption in Indonesia and Peru, a new threat is now looming. From the start of next month, all tin mining will be suspended in the Wa region of Myanmar.

Persons: It's, Jan Harvey Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Shanghai Futures Exchange, U.S, Fastmarkets, Fund, United Wa State Army, International Tin Association, Yinman, Yunnan Tin Company, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Myanmar, Malaysia's Port Klang, Singapore, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Italian, Genoa, Trieste, Spanish, Bilbao, Baltimore, U.S, Midwest, COVID, Indonesia, Peru, Wa, Guangxi, Mongolia, Yunnan, China

Exports last year were 94 metric tonnes, up 25% on 2021. Last year's exports totaled 44 metric tonnes in both wrought and unwrought form. As of September 2022 the DLA was storing 14 metric tonnes of germanium metal and 6.9 metric tonnes of scrap. An outright ban could be counter-productive, as China found out when it halted exports of rare earths to Japan in 2010. China has no shortage of pressure points to push, from rare earths to cobalt to lithium and even electric vehicle batteries.

Persons: Germany's, Wei Jianguo, Barbara Lewis Organizations: U.S, Chips, Export, United States Geological Survey, Alliance, Defense Logistics Agency, Teck Resources, Agency, Solutions, Democratic, Gecamines, World Trade Organization, China, Toyota, Honda, Audi, Commerce, China Daily, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, United States, Teck, NYR.BR, Clarksville, Tennessee, New York, Australia, Europe, Democratic Republic of Congo's, Russia, Japan, Beijing, West

LONDON, July 6 (Reuters) - European Union (EU) countries have added aluminium to the list of minerals and metals covered by the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). Western European primary aluminium production is the lowest this centuryFALLING OUTPUTAs things stand, Europe is going to struggle to lift primary production at all over that time-frame. European aluminium imports by countryIMPORT DEPENDENCYEuropean aluminium consumption averaged just over 5.0 million metric tons per year over the 2016-2020 period, according to the EU. However, the key difference is where Europe sources its bauxite and primary aluminium. POWER PROBLEMSGetting aluminium onto Europe's critical raw materials list is an important win for the region's aluminium sector.

Persons: didn't, it's, David Evans Organizations: Union, Federation of Aluminium Consumers, International Aluminium Institute, IAI, EU, Rusal, Thomson, Reuters Locations: United States, China, Europe, EU, Ukraine, Guinea, Brazil, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Iceland, Britain, Russia

The London Metal Exchange (LME) index of base metals has sunk from a January high of 4,356 to 3,704. LME metals relative performance in H1 2023RELATIVE WEAKNESSOnly one core LME metal bucked the generally weaker trend in the first half of the year. Not that you would know it from LME nickel stocks, which fell by 16,872 metric tons, or 32%, over the first six months of 2023. LME copper stocks also fell by 18,850 metric tons over the first half of the year to 69,700 metric tons, half of which is cancelled and awaiting physical load-out. Indeed, LME zinc stocks have seen heightened cancellation activity over the last couple of weeks with 20% of registered inventory now awaiting load-out.

Persons: Tin, Sweden's, Goldman Sachs, Alexander Smith Organizations: PMI, London Metal Exchange, Citi . Grid, Citi, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Reuters, Thomson Locations: China, Europe, United States, Ireland, CHINA

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - There's a renewed scramble for copper sitting in London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses. Headline LME copper stocks have slid from 100,100 tonnes to 77,050 over the last three weeks despite almost 30,000 tonnes of arrivals. The drain on LME copper stocks is puzzling given weakening manufacturing activity in both Europe and the United States. It wouldn't be the first time that the LME stocks signal has been refracted, and the lower the stocks, the easier it is to bend the light. The Shanghai exchange has experienced tightness across the front part of the curve since March, with time-spreads now also the widest since November.

Persons: Boliden's, Copper, Jan Harvey Organizations: London Metal Exchange, LME, U.S ., CME, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Shanghai Futures, ShFE's, International Energy Exchange, Shanghai Metal, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Europe, United States, U.S, London, ShFE, INE, Shanghai, China, Asia

A net 1,400 lots of short positions were covered by the time the market was suspended at 08:15. Xiang Guangda, the charismatic head of China's Tsingshan Holding Group, has attracted much media attention for being the big nickel short. The existence of at least once big nickel short wasn't exactly a secret in the market. LME nickel crisis had turned into potential LME clearing house crisis with Chamberlain having to juggle both parts of the meltdown while also being a nickel market specialist. The handful that remained, as one participant later recalled, knew nothing whatsoever about what was going on in the nickel market so decided to call everyone else back into the room.

Persons: Elliott, Street, Matthew Chamberlain, Chamberlain, Jane Street, Oliver Wyman's, Xiang Guangda, wasn't, Oliver Wyman, John Maynard Keynes, Xiang, doesn't, David Evans Organizations: London, Royal, of Justice, Hong Kong Exchanges, HK, Elliott Associates, Jane, Global, Tsingshan Holding, SEE, Bloomberg, Thomson, Reuters Locations: U.S, Ukraine

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - The closure of the Tara zinc mine in Ireland tells you how far the price of the galvanising metal has fallen over the last year. The closure is unlikely to alleviate the immediate over-supply of zinc concentrates but it is a sharp reminder for the market that the zinc price is teetering on the edge of the mining production cost curve. LME zinc price, stocks and spreadsTARA'S PERFECT STORMTara Mines, based in County Meath, is "currently cash flow negative due to a combination of factors including operational challenges, a decline in the price of zinc, high energy prices and general cost inflation", Boliden said. "The zinc market seems to be very volatile at the moment," Nystrom said, which is an understatement given the scale of the price collapse over the last 15 months. But Tara's suspension is a wake-up call that after a year of worrying about smelters, zinc traders need to start worrying about zinc mines as well.

Persons: Tara, Boliden, Mines, Gunnar Nystrom, Ireland's, " Nystrom, Morgan Stanley, Barbara Lewis Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Ireland's RTE, Shanghai Metal Markets, Fastmarkets, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ireland, County Meath, Europe, China, Shanghai, London

London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month tin has been treading water in a $23,700-26,800 range since the start of May. Although the demand outlook remains subdued, tin supply is facing two big threats, one from Myanmar and one from Indonesia, the world's largest exporter. Global tin supply, meanwhile, is now improving after an early-year drop in Indonesia shipments. Refined tin production fell year-on-year in May and Guangxi China Tin Group, the world's sixth-largest tin producer, has just announced a 40-50 day maintenance break from the end of this month, according to the ITA. Indonesia currently only has enough downstream capacity to absorb 5% of its domestic tin production, meaning that any restrictions will likely come in phases.

Persons: Minsur, International Tin Association . Tin, It's, David Evans Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Global, Shanghai Futures Exchange, U.S, Global Semiconductor, HIT, World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, Local, United Wa State Army, International Tin Association ., ITA, Guangxi China Tin Group, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Midwest, London, imploding, Myanmar, Indonesia, Peruvian, United States, Europe MYANMAR, Wa, China, Wa State, Guangxi China, INDONESIA

LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - The London Metal Exchange (LME) is once again looking to shine more light on what lies in the shadows of its warehousing system. The exchange's daily stocks reports offer a rare hard data point in a murky statistical landscape for metal traders. LME stocks are flatlining but is this down to the market or changed market behaviour? Traders will game any system they come up against but the current LME stocks reporting regime makes it too easy. Restoring trust in exchange stocks reporting is a key step in winning back the broader confidence of the market.

Persons: it's, Mark Potter Organizations: London Metal Exchange, Hong Kong Exchanges, HK, Shanghai Futures, Traders, CME, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Malaysia's Port Klang, Singapore, Shanghai

A super-charged two-year rally, which saw Chinese spot lithium carbonate prices rise by tenfold, went into brutal reverse over the first part of this year. The slump in China's spot price dragged down the whole lithium pricing chain from spodumene concentrate to hydroxide, albeit to highly varying degrees. But lithium's roller-coaster ride highlights the important role China's spot market and the Wuxi futures exchange play in the fast-growing industry's price discovery process. Many lithium buyers, in other words, will be paying higher prices this year whatever happens in the Chinese spot market. The collapse in China's spot price has far exceeded the decline in the price of Australian spodumene, another closely tracked market indicator.

Western lead buyers remain reliant on China's exports to smooth out the global supply chain. WESTERN MARKET STILL TIGHTChinese inflows have helped nudge LME stocks higher. U.S. buyers are paying up to 20 cents/lb ($440 per tonne) over the LME cash price to secure spot metal, according to Fastmarkets. Europe, however, should fare better this year thanks to the restart of the Stolberg lead smelter in Germany. The difference between the pace of production and usage recovery explains the narrowing global supply gap this year.

Outright short positions have mushroomed by 68% to 58,157 contracts in the space of three weeks. Outright long positions have been scaled back to 41,987 contracts, almost half the level of the February peak when investors were betting on a full-throttle post-COVID recovery in China. Fund managers are now net short of CME copper to the tune of 16,170 contracts, the largest collective bear bet since August last year. Investment funds have slashed their net long positioning from 25,737 contracts on April 14 to just 4,813 contracts as of May 5. Investment funds slash LME copper long positions as mood turns bearishWEAK RECOVERYChina's recovery from the stringent zero-COVID policy of last year has so far fallen short of expectations from a metals perspective.

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