Ukrainian flat steel producer Zaporizhstal, part of Metinvest, has partially resumed operation of its cold rolling shop, the company tells Kallanish.

The decision to partially resume work was facilitated by the controlled military situation in Zaporozhye, the company claims.

Skin-pass mills 1700-1 and 1700-2, as well as slitting unit No. …

Despite the wide-ranging sanctions on Russian financial, business and economic sectors, Russian mills continue to offer their material for export. But producers are facing the choice of taking all risks or having no sales, while traders, who are willing to continue working with Russian mills, are running out of options …

The London Metal Exchange (LME)  halted on 8 March trading of nickel on all its venues following an unprecedented rise in its three-month nickel contract to over $100,000/tonne. 

Nickel prices had risen 90% to $55,000/t on 7 March, before reaching $101,365/t during night trading into 8 March. This price then …

Already extremely tight merchant slab availability from Russia and Ukraine in recent months has transformed into absolute absence since Russia invaded Ukraine, paralysing CIS trade and leading to wide-ranging sanctions on Russia.

The absence of CIS material is driving up prices, as Turkish and European buyers, “desperate for the material,” …