LME nickel price trend on July 21st

European coal imports inched up from April's three-decade low, but were still sharply down on the year in May.

German imports will be 16-30pc down on the year in 2020, according to importers' association VDKI.

Trade unions in the UK suggest they will not allow the end of blast furnace steel production.

Japan's iron ore imports fell further in June, as domestic steel mills maintained output cuts under pressure from lower manufacturing sector demand because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The electricity consumption of the manufacturing industry was 1666 billion kwh, a year-on-year decrease of 3.0%.

Chinese-Australian coal firm Yancoal expects to produce 38mn t of saleable coal in 2020.

Sections prices have fallen as low as £430-440/t delivered, according to buy-side sources, despite rises in scrap and iron ore.