• 7 November 2024
  • Market: Metals, Battery Materials

Thomas Kavanagh, Editor - Battery Materials, provides an overview of battery materials market with key updates on electric vehicles, lithium, cobalt, nickel and more, including: 

  • EV market update: tariff wars heat up
  • Lithium: production cuts
  • Cobalt: Chinese exports increase
  • Nickel: uncertainty reigns

Related metals news

News
08/10/26

Mexico’s inflation quickens to 3.45pc in Sept.

Mexico’s inflation quickens to 3.45pc in Sept.

Mexico City, 8 October (Argus) — Mexico's annual inflation accelerated to 3.45pc in September, the highest level since May, driven by upward pressure in the non-core index led by rising fruit and vegetable prices. The consumer price index (CPI) accelerated from an annual 3.26pc in August, according to statistics agency Inegi. While moving further above the central bank's 3pc inflation target, CPI has kept within the central bank's 2pc-4pc inflation tolerance range since May. September inflation came slightly below analyst forecasts, with Mexican banks Banorte and Banamex projecting 3.46pc and 3.5pc, respectively. Responding to the result, both banks revised their full-year 2026 estimates for the headline to 3.9pc from 4.0pc Core inflation eased further to 3.75pc in September from 3.88pc a month earlier. Within that, consumer goods slowed to 3.21pc from 3.41pc in August, and services inflation fell to 4.27pc from 4.33pc the previous month. September's faster headline rate was mainly fueled by the more volatile non-core index of prices, which accelerated to an annual 2.45pc from 1.13pc in August, largely because fresh fruit and vegetable prices expanded by an annual 8.78pc in September from 4.1pc in August. Energy inflation drove the non-core as well, accelerating sharply to 1.48pc from 0.81pc, despite government caps on LPG, regular gasoline and diesel retail prices to mitigate volatility stemming from the ongoing US conflict with Iran. Premium gasoline prices , which are not capped, maintained 11pc annual inflation in September. Price growth also accelerated for transportation, climbing to 3.51pc from 3.43pc in August, and for housing and utilities at 3.33pc in September from 3.06pc the previous month. In contrast, inflation for restaurants and hotels slowed to 6.19pc from 6.27pc in August. From the previous month, consumer prices rose 0.42pc, accelerating from a 0.20pc increase in August, Inegi reported. By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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News

US sets AD margins for 2 Turkish rebar firms


06/10/26
News
06/10/26

US sets AD margins for 2 Turkish rebar firms

Houston, 6 October (Argus) — The US Department of Commerce has preliminarily applied a 13.11pc antidumping (AD) duty margin for Turkish rebar producers Colakoglu and Ekinciler following its review of imports in the year through June 2025. Commerce individually examined Colakoglu and assigned the same AD margin to Ekinciler, which was not individually reviewed. Commerce also rescinded the review for Turkish producers Habas, Icdas and Kaptan after finding no reviewable suspended entries during the review period. The preliminary margin is below the 18.87pc AD duty assigned to Colakoglu in the final results of a previous review covering July 2023 through June 2024. Turkish rebar exporters without company-specific rates are currently subject to a 3.9pc AD rate that was established in a January 2022 amended final determination. By Matt Martin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Iowa passes tax incentives for steel mill


05/10/26
News
05/10/26

Iowa passes tax incentives for steel mill

Pittsburgh, 5 October (Argus) — Iowa has amended its economic development program to provide tax incentives for Minnesota-based iron ore miner Mesabi Metallics to build a $15bn steel mill, the governor's office said last week. The program, called the Major Economic Growth Attraction, was designed to help the state compete for $1bn-plus developments. The original tax scheme created incentives of up to 5pc each for two eligible businesses a parent company planned to start, but the new language passed into law late last week now allows incentives of up to 10pc for a single qualifying investment if it is in a rural county. The incentives under the law are spread out evenly over 10 years and are transferable. Mesabi Metallics' proposed 10mn short tons (st)/yr electric arc furnace qualifies qualifies for the higher incentives under the new law because it will be built in a rural part of southeastern Iowa. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick previously said Mesabi Metallics' investment was not dependent on local tax breaks at a 28 September White House press conference touting the plan. Iowa state house speaker Pat Grassley said any incentives for the mill construction will not be granted until the facility is actually operational. The mill is slated for completion by 2030 and will rely on iron ore from the company's mine in Nashwauk, Minnesota. By Aaron May Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

SA Recycling to vacate Long Beach iron ore dock


05/10/26
News
05/10/26

SA Recycling to vacate Long Beach iron ore dock

Pittsburgh, 5 October (Argus) — US metals recycler SA Recycling plans to vacate its iron ore export dock at the Port of Long Beach in southern California. SA Recycling has proposed demolishing the iron ore marine terminal over a seven-month period and exiting the 19-acre facility, according to a 1 October notice by the Port of Long Beach. The company began exporting iron ore mined in the western US to Asia in bulk cargoes from the port in 2013. SA Recycling shipped 2.5mn short tons (st) of iron ore from October 2020 to June 2022, according to a port statement — that translates to about 119,000 st/month during that period. The port will accept public comments on SA Recycling's plan to demolish the facility to restore it to its pre-lease condition until 30 October. SA Recycling did not reply to requests for comment on its iron ore export business. The company operates a separate scrap metal export dock at the Port of Long Beach that will continue operating. By James Marshall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Milan court rules against second ADI appeal


05/10/26
News
05/10/26

Milan court rules against second ADI appeal

London, 5 October (Argus) — A second attempt by Italian steelmaker Acciaierie d'Italia's (ADI) to temporarily suspend a court order issued in July that called for the closure of the plant's hot-end has been rejected by Milan's court of appeals. The original order gave the steelmaker 90 days to shut down its hot-end, triggering a first appeal to grant a suspension of the order, which was swiftly rejected . The second appeal argued that shutting down the hot-end could irreversibly damage the facilities and compromise any future restart, citing a technical assessment that it could cost around €830mn to restore the hot-end after shutdown. ADI proposed keeping the installations in pre-heating mode, rather than fully switching them off. The court rejected these arguments — it said the potential economic and industrial damage was secondary to the right to health of citizens. Production at the hot-end was already in the process of being suspended by late September, the court document said. ADI said the irreversible deterioration it had warned of had not yet occurred. The next key date for the future of the plant is 20 October, when Italy's Court of Cassation will consider another legal challenge filed by ADI. By Carlo Da Cas Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.