查看更多>>摘要：The apparent refined copper market surplus for the first four months of 2002 fell to 189,000 metric tons, from 219,000 tons in January-March 2001, according to preliminary data released by the International Copper Study Group, or ICSG. According to ICSG, world mine output for the first four months of 2002 was 4.267 million tons, down 3.2 percent from output for the same period of 2001. The trend of improving demand for refined copper has continued, ICSG commented, with refined usage reaching the same level in April 2002 as in April of last year. Nevertheless, the accumulated usage for the first four months of 2002 is still 2.7 percent below the level of the same period last year. Total refined copper production in the first four months of 2002 increased by 1.0 percent compared with that of a year ago, ICSG said, with primary refined copper output rising by 1.9 percent. Secondary refined production fell by 5.4 percent.
查看更多>>摘要：South Korea's Taihan Electric Wire Co. Ltd. has canceled a plan to issue its first spot buy tender of the year in mid-July due to a slowdown of copper wire rod exports, a company official said. Taihan, one of the two biggest copper consumers in South Korea, earlier planned to seek at least 2,000 metric tons of copper cathodes in the spot market mid-July. Some of the planned purchases would be Grade A copper. "We haven't received many orders for copper wire rods from some export markets lately. Domestic demand has been flat from last year," said Geun Hong Park, Taihan's purchasing manager, without revealing the countries. Taihan will review its needs at the end of this month, he added.
查看更多>>摘要：South Korea's Posco, the world's second largest steelmaker, consumed around 32,000 metric tons of nickel in the first half of this year, in line with the company's target, a Posco spokesman said. In February, Posco, also the biggest nickel consumer in the country, announced plans to use about 65,000 tons of nickel in 2002, up from 60,000 tons last year. "Demand for steel scrap has increased continuously" resulting in rising prices of steel scrap, the spokesman said, adding the company hasn't changed its consumption target for the year.
查看更多>>摘要：The list of announced zinc smelter shutdowns is growing, with as many as four in June and the latest production changes at Metaleurop's Noyelles-Godault bringing announced production cutbacks in 2002 to over 150,000 metric tons. Noyelles-Godault said earlier this week it had cut annual zinc output to 70,000 metric tons from 90,000 tons as it moves to using secondary zinc from primary as its feed.
查看更多>>摘要：Renewed fund buying has pushed nickel on the London Metal Exchange to a fresh 32-month high at 7,765 dollars a metric ton, prompted by the market's break of 7,600 dollars /ton resistance. The three-month contract ended the late kerb at 7,570 dollars /ton. Profit taking at the highs has pulled prices back toward 7,650 dollars /ton but dealers have not ruled out further gains as many in the market are short.
NSTL