Subscriber note: Platts to clarify existing lead assessments

Platts intends to clarify and make a minor methodology change to its North American lead price assessment and the associated lead premium, effective December 4. Platts currently assesses a US premium for refined lead on a weekly basis, which is used to calculate the North American market lead price assessment. Platts proposes to begin publishing this internal premium assessment in Platts Metals Alert and Platts Metals Daily, which is for the following specification: Premium to the LME settlement price for 99.97% pure corroding-grade lead, in 2,000-lb blocks (sows) or 55-100 lb pigs (ingots), maximum 0.025% bismuth, max 0.0050% silver, max 0.0010% Cu, max 0.001 Fe, delivered US within 30 days, normalized to a delivered Midwest basis, net-30 days payment terms. Minimum quantity one truckload (42,000-44,000 lb), typical order size one to five truckloads. Platts proposes to change the methodology for the lead North American Market price assessment. The assessment currently is the weekly range of the low and high London Metal Exchange cash settlement price, converted into cents per pound, plus the premium. Platts proposes to change this to a daily formula assessment reflecting the current day's LME cash settlement in cents per pound plus the weekly premium. There would also be a weekly and monthly average of the premium and the North American Market assessment. The lead prices will be assessed weekly on Tuesdays (or closest business day in the event of holidays). Please address any feedback or questions to Karen McBeth, karen_mcbeth@platts.com or via phone (202) 383-2110; or Jackie Roche, jacquelyn_roche@platts.com (212) 904-4111.