1. The recovery of the world economy has led to an overall increase in the price of basic metals. The economic recovery of the world's major economies, such as Europe and Japan, led by the United States, including the rapid economic development of China, has stimulated the market of basic metals, including copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, tin and nickel to rise steadily. By February 26th, 2003, the price per ton of LME three-month futures: copper was US$ 2,245, up 40% from US$ 65,438+US$ 0.602 at the end of last year, reaching the highest level in six years. Aluminum was $65,438 +0.595, up nearly16% from $65,438 +0.380 at the end of last year; Lead was $700 1997, the highest since April, up 57% from $446 at the end of last year. Zinc is $65,438 +0.005, the highest level since March 2006, 5,438+0, which is 23.5% higher than $865,438 +0.4 at the end of last year. Tin was $6,300, up nearly 51%from $4 180 at the end of last year; Nickel 16 100 USD, up from 6970 USD at the end of last year 13 1%.
2. The war between the United States and Iraq plunged the international metal market into violent oscillation. On March 20th, the American war against Iraq, which was closely watched by the whole world, started. The international metal market, especially the copper market, fluctuated greatly. Because the war is full of variables, investors are at a loss, traders have left to wait and see, and international and domestic metal prices continue to dive. A month later, the war was basically over. The market is gradually improving.
The spread of SARS once severely restrained the demand for metals.
After the Iraq war, from the end of March, the SARS epidemic caused troubles in some countries and regions, which became another incentive to affect the metal market. People are worried that this disease will inhibit the economic growth of China and even Asia, while China and even Asia once severely suppressed the demand for metals.
4. The European Commission launched an investigation into related companies suspected of monopolizing the copper concentrate market.
On May 16, the European Commission announced that it had launched an investigation into related companies for alleged monopoly in the copper concentrate market, and the regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States also cooperated with * * * to investigate this matter.
5. Canada and Russia's big companies are constantly moving, and the world's nickel industry is hot.
At the end of May, nickel miners in sudbury, a subsidiary of Canadian International Nickel Company, went on strike for nine weeks, resulting in a monthly loss of 8000 tons of nickel production, which led to increasingly tight market supply and further increase in nickel prices. 12 From June to the end of 2003, Norilsk Nickel Company, the world's largest nickel producer, sold 60,000 tons of nickel stocks to the market one after another, which temporarily eased the tension that the global nickel market was in short supply, but did not change the general trend that the nickel market was in short supply.
6. The London Metal Exchange officially launched an investigation into the primary aluminum market.
On August 4th, the London Metal Exchange announced the official launch of the investigation on the primary aluminum market. LME said that the purpose of the investigation is to find out whether there is collusion between aluminum market participants, aluminum inventory fluctuations, trading methods and price curve fluctuations. This news has put pressure on the non-ferrous metal trading market, especially the price of aluminum, which has been rising for several weeks.
7. The world aluminum industry has set off a climax of M&A.
Alcoa, the world's largest aluminum company, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bahrain government in the third quarter to buy a 26% stake in Bahrain Aluminum Factory. The merger of Alcan, a Canadian aluminum company, and Pechiney, France was basically completed at the end of June 165438+, and the combined company has become the largest aluminum company in the world.
8. France Europe Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. declared bankruptcy.
10 year1On October 20th, the famous French European Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. declared bankruptcy. The Board of Directors of the Company confirmed that it was impossible to reach an agreement with the creditors of the Group through consultation to delay the repayment of short-term debts and ensure the short-term operation of the Group. The board of directors decided that the president of the company should apply to the Paris Commercial Court for bankruptcy protection as soon as possible.
9. Andina copper mine in Chile? Workers in Andina went on strike.
On February 5, 65438 (03: 00 GMT), due to the difficulty in reaching an agreement with the management on the salary issue, Andina Copper Mine, a subsidiary of Chile's state-owned copper company (Codelco)? Andina rejected the salary proposal put forward by the management and went on strike. As soon as this news came out, the price of international copper market rose immediately, which led to the rise of the whole basic metal market.
10. China factor has become an important factor affecting the international metal market.
Due to the rapid growth of China's national economy, China's demand for metals has expanded sharply, which has greatly affected the price of metals in the international market. For example, in recent years, China's domestic investment in electrolytic aluminum has been heating up, production capacity and output have increased rapidly, and the demand for metallurgical grade alumina has been expanding, which has become an important reason for the increase in international spot alumina prices. Its price has increased from 170 USD/ton at the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003 to 4 10 ~ 420 USD/ton in the middle of 2003.