Metal Watch

IPMI RELEASES PRECIOUS METALS GUIDE

The International Precious Metals Institute, Allentown, Pa., has released the 1995 edition of its "Buyer’s Guide of Precious Metals Industry Products & Services." This 50-page guide showcases hundreds of buyers and suppliers spanning a wide range of precious metals industry-related products and services.

The IPMI Buyers Guide’s categories include buyers, sellers and refiners of the most widely used precious metals, specified by product type. Also featured are industry sources for analytical and assay services, as well as wide-ranging listings for companies that provide products or services fabricated by, relying upon, or used in the refining of precious metals.

The report is available from IPMI, 4905 Tilgh- man Street, Suite 160, Allentown, Pa. 18104, (610) 395-9700.

A-B LAUNCHES RECYCLING PROGRAM

Anheuser-Busch Recycling Corp., the recycling subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., St. Louis, has launched a program to enable area children to help their schools through recycling.

Under the program, called Kids Can Change the World, students will turn in aluminum cans for recycling, obtaining valuable equipment such as computers, software of sports equipment for their schools in return. Participating schools will also be provided lesson plans to help teach students about the importance of respecting the environment and the advantages of recycling.

IISI REPORTS ON STEEL STATISTICS

The International Iron and Steel Institute, Brussels, Belgium, along with ISSB Ltd., Croydon, U.K., have begun producing a monthly report containing the latest world steel statistics. Revised monthly for every country and product featured, the report focusses on trade and finished steel products. Imports and exports are analyzed by trading partner for the world’s 14 main trading countries – Belgium/Luxembourg, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States. They are separately analyzed for each of the major steel industry products.

COPPER DEMAND STRONG, BUT PRICES DECLINE

Despite the continued decline in domestic and London Metal Exchange inventories, and continued strong demand, prices of copper declined markedly in February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Mines, Washington, D.C. Copper prices peaked during the last month of January, but the Comex price fell to $1.30 on Feb. 7.

Prices on the LME averaged more than three cents per pound below those on Comex. Industry analysts speculated that the decline in price, despite continued strong market fundamentals, was due to the withdrawal of investment funds from the copper market and concern by potential investors over the demand outlook.

According to data compiled by the International Copper Study Group, world consumption of refined copper rose 4.3 percent to 11.7 million tons in 1994.

STEEL IMPORTS AND U.S. OUTPUT ARE HIGH

Although U.S. imports of steel mill products in March remained at high levels, shipments of steel mill products by U.S. mills during that same month had their highest monthly total since June 1979, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, Washington.

For March 1995, the U.S. imported just under 2.4 million net tons of steel mill products – roughly the same amount that was imported during March 1994. For the first three months of this year imports were up nine percent over the same period last year and, on an annualized basis, still equate nearly to a 30-million-ton year.