Fastmarkets to launch CFR Chile sulfuric acid assessment. Fastmarkets will launch a monthly assessment of the price for sulfuric acid on a CFR Mejillones basis with effect from Thursday September 3, 2026. August 28, 2026 Market sources have supported Fastmarkets' plans to launch a sulfuric acid price assessment in Chile, saying that it would assist base metals producers, traders and buyers while improving transparency in regional pricing amid heightened volatility and tighter supply following geopolitical events in 2026. During a consultation period from July 30 to August 27, Fastmarkets received feedback from market participants on the sulfuric acid price specification, particularly the delivery period and payment terms. Fastmarkets has revised the delivery period to within six weeks, from the originally proposed four weeks, following market feedback. It has also changed the payment terms to cash against documents, with other payment terms normalized. The specification of the new assessment is as follows: MB-SA-0001 Sulfuric Acid 96-98%, spot price, cfr Chile, $ per tonne Quantity: Min 10,000 tonnes Incoterm: CFR Location: Mejillones, Chile Specification: Sulfuric acid with an H2SO4 concentration of 96-98% Unit & currency: USD per tonne Delivery period: Within six weeks Data window: First Thursday of the month from 4pm London time to the first Thursday of the following month at 3pm London time Frequency: Monthly. Thursday, 3-4pm London time. Follows the non-ferrous metals price reporting holiday schedule Payment terms: Cash against documents; other payment terms normalized. Please send any questions or comments to [email protected] and [email protected]. Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request. To see all Fastmarkets' pricing methodology and specification documents, go to the Fastmarkets methodology page.

Fastmarkets launches CIF China zinc spot smelter and trader concentrate TC assessments, proposes change to legacy zinc spot concentrate TC assessment, cif China: pricing notice. Fastmarkets has launched CIF China zinc spot concentrate treatment charges (TCs) assessments for smelter and trader markets, effective Friday August 28. Fastmarkets is also proposing to change the legacy MB-ZN-0110 Zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne assessment into a calculated price, effective October 9. August 28, 2026 The launch responds to evolving market dynamics and industry feedback that highlights the need for transparent TC levels purchased by smelters and traders separately. Fastmarkets has observed an increasing divergence between TC levels paid by smelters and traders in China's spot zinc concentrates import market, which has contributed to a widening range in the existing MB-ZN-0110 Zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne assessment. These assessments provide transparency into the pricing dynamics of different participant groups that are increasingly trading at separate pricing levels and offer greater visibility into spot market activity. The specifications for the new prices are as follows: MB-ZN-0124 Zinc spot smelter concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne Quantity: Minimum 2,000 tonnes Incoterm: CIF Location: China Specification: 45-55% zinc content, low silver (0-170g/t), silica 3.5-4.5%, copper below 3% (high copper 4-5%), lead below 3.5% (total copper, lead, silica at max 6-7%), arsenic below 0.6%, cadmium below 0.33% and mercury below 0.06% Unit and currency: USD per tonne Delivery Period: Within 13 weeks Data window: Fastmarkets collect data up until second and last Friday of each month Publication: Second and last Friday of each month Payment terms: Letter of Credit, quotation period M+3 Notes: This assessment is used in the calculation of MB-ZN-0110 Zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne. MB-ZN-0125 Zinc spot trader concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne Quantity: Minimum 2,000 tonnes Incoterm: CIF Location: China Specification: 45-55% zinc content, low silver (0-170g/t), silica 3.5-4.5%, copper below 3% (high copper 4-5%), lead below 3.5% (total copper, lead, silica at max 6-7%), arsenic below 0.6%, cadmium below 0.33% and mercury below 0.06% Unit and currency: USD per tonne Delivery Period: Within 13 weeks Data window: Fastmarkets collect data up until second and last Friday of each month Publication: Second and last Friday of each month Payment terms: Letter of Credit, quotation period M+3 Notes: This assessment is used in the calculation of MB-ZN-0110 Zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne. Please note these assessments follow Fastmarkets existing methodology of applying data hierarchy with transactions considered highest in the significance hierarchy, competitive bids and offers are of secondary importance, followed by data sources' own indications of a tradeable level when they have no other business to report. Proposal to convert the existing assessment into calculated price Additionally, Fastmarkets proposes to change its existing MB-ZN-0110 Zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne assessment to a calculated price, effective October 9. Under the proposed methodology, the low end of the existing MB-ZN-0110 would be represented by the arithmetic average of the low and high ends of the Zinc spot trader concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne assessment, while the high end would be represented by the arithmetic average of the low and high ends of the Zinc spot smelter concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne assessment. The existing MB-ZN-0110 Zinc spot concentrate TC, cif China, $/tonne calculated price and the two new smelter and trader TCs assessments would be published on the same schedule and with the same specifications, in line with the existing MB-ZN-0110 schedule. Please note the specifications of this price remain unchanged. Please send any questions or comments by September 25 to [email protected] and [email protected]. Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request. To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specification documents, go to the Fastmarkets methodology page.

Fastmarkets proposes to launch US domestic hollow structural sections (HSS) 10x10 square assessment. Fastmarkets proposes to launch a weekly US domestic hollow structural sections (HSS) 10x10 square price assessment to provide additional transparency into a growing segment of the North American structural steel market. Subject to market feedback, the assessment would launch on October 8, 2026. August 25, 2026 Fastmarkets is considering the launch following discussions with producers, distributors, service centers and end users regarding demand for increased transparency in the large-diameter HSS market. Market participants have indicated that 10x10 square HSS is one of the most widely produced and commercially traded large-diameter HSS products in North America, serving applications including data centers, warehouses, distribution facilities, manufacturing projects and other large-scale non-residential construction. Feedback gathered during market research suggests the product benefits from broad geographic production across multiple US mills, active participation from service centers and a predominantly transactional spot market, supporting sufficient market liquidity for price assessment purposes. Market participants also noted that the size is commonly stocked and distributed throughout North America, making it a representative benchmark for the broader large-diameter HSS market. Fastmarkets believes the proposed assessment would complement its existing US HSS price coverage while providing market participants with an additional reference point for a rapidly growing structural steel application segment. What is changing Fastmarkets proposes to launch the following assessment: Assessment name: Steel hollow structural sections (HSS) 10x10 square, FOB mill US Quantity: Minimum 20 short tons Incoterm: FOB mill, United States Location: United States Specification: ASTM A500 Grade B/C 10x10 square HSS, wall thickness 0.250-0.375 inch Unit and currency: US dollars per short ton Delivery period: Within 12 weeks Data window: Market information received up to 3pm Eastern Time on the day of publication Frequency: Weekly, Thursday publication, following the US holiday calendar Assessment code: [to be assigned] Please send any questions or comments by September 24 to [email protected] and [email protected]. Please indicate if comments are confidential. Fastmarkets will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request. To see all Fastmarkets pricing methodology and specification documents, go to the Fastmarkets methodology page.