Articles Tagged "smelters"

Fed announcement spurs zinc, bypasses lead

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News The Fed’s announcement to purchase treasuries sent lead and zinc on their largest ascent in two months. Fed officials voted on March 18 to buy Treasury and mortgage bonds in an effort to revive America’s economy, lifting stocks as well as commodities. Copper, zinc and aluminum [...]

Market sentiment wins in price tug-of-war

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News Positive sentiment that spread through the markets during the week edged up most of the base metals. The U.K. benchmark FTSE 100 Index jumped 0.9 per cent and Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average closed 2.7 per cent higher in Tokyo.  Pessimistic data still came out of [...]

Output cuts extend through lead and zinc industry

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News The global financial crisis and sharp falls in metals prices have forced several companies to abandon or put on hold their plans to bring new mines on-stream. Some existing producers have also shut down or curtailed output at mines and plants as high costs and low prices [...]

Survival of the fittest for lead and zinc miners

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News For the first quarter of 2009, the mantra of many lead and zinc miners is “survival”.  After the price crash of 2008, many miners have gone underwater. This is forcing cutbacks, closures, acquisitions, and even some bankruptcies.  There is no question that prices will rebound as commodity [...]

Will Chinese purchases boost zinc and lead demand?

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News The zinc industry has been quick to respond to the slump in prices and a host of producers have announced cutbacks and closures. However, without a definitive shift in the current global economic current; supply cuts have yet to directly improve pricing.   In Shanghai, spot [...]

Low zinc and lead inventories threaten price stability

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News Shanghai base metals fell by their daily limits on Friday, chasing steep falls on the London Metal Exchange (LME). The Exchange said it would make an announcement about which contracts would be suspended after the market closed.  So far this year, zinc prices are down 52 per [...]

Zinc and lead companies underwater

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Zinc Investing News The global economic outlook seems to worsen everyday. The US, China, and India are witnessing an economic slowdown.  Data coming out of Japan shows that the economy there has entered into a recession in the third quarter as corporate spending and export demand slumped. The 15 [...]

Carbon tax could bankrupt Australian lead and zinc

By Leia Michele Toovey- Exclusive to Lead Investing News Australia’s carbon tax program may force miners into bankruptcy. Nyrstar, the countries largest zinc and lead miner issued a response to the governments proposed taxation scheme.  Chief Operating Officer Greg McMillan said modeling prepared for the company showed that the taxation would cost the company $70 [...]

Output cuts and layoffs hit zinc and lead miners

By Leia Michele Toovey – Exclusive to Lead Investing News At current price levels, approximately 50 per cent of the world’s zinc producers are under water. Zinc MZN3, mainly used as an anti corrosive in galvanized steel is currently selling for around $1,120.00 per tonne, less than half the metal’s January value. Lead prices are [...]

Zinc And Lead Rally As G7 Countries Plan Market Bailout

This morning, officials from the G7 countries (U.S.A., Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Britain and Italy) held a conference call to discuss potential solutions to the pressing market crisis currently at play in world markets. This tentative plan includes a possible 700 billion dollar buyout of bad debts, including defaulted mortgages and other failed investments, with [...]