Base Metal Consumption after 3-Day Winning Streak, SMM Surveys

Total zinc ingots inventories across seven major markets in China stood at 284,100 mt as of April 15, up 6,100 mt from April 8, down 3,700 mt from April 11.

Quotes of import premiums for warrants stood at $10-$30/mt today. The average price was $20/mt under warrants, which is stable compared with the last trading day.

Hundreds of workers working in Mount Polley copper concentrate near Williams Lake in Columbia, Britain are being recalled.

Shanghai base metals mostly closed with gains in the overnight trading last Friday as the Fed indicated more aggressive measures for countering the inflation. LME metals basically picked up on Friday as well.

In terms of supply, according to research, the supplies of NORNICKEL nickel, nickel briquette, NIKKELVERK nickel were in critical shortage, mainly due to the large price spread between SHFE and LME.

Shanghai base metals mostly closed with gains on Thursday night. LME metals performed similarly on Thursday.

Shanghai base metals mostly trended lower on Tuesday morning after US dollar rallied significantly. Meanwhile, their counterparts on LME performed similarly.

Shanghai nonferrous metals mostly closed in the positive territory as the market was cheered up by the macro front, as China released its December official manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMI readings, which topped market expectation.

SHFE and LME zinc prices once again hit new highs in two months, mainly owing to the continuously rising electricity and natural gas prices which rose by more than 20% amid intensifying energy shortages in the eurozone, according to SMM. Meanwhile, the costs of smelters also climbed due to low zinc concentrate TCs as a result of tight supply.

Shanghai base metals basically trended lower amid a cautious market which expected the Fed to wrap up the bond purchasing program early than estimate. Meanwhile, their counterparts on LME mostly closed in the positive zone.