LONDON, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Platts today re-launched its end-of-day market data service for metals, making nearly 2,000 ferrous and nonferrous price assessments available through two packages. The market data now includes two key industry-recognized benchmarks in iron ore published by Platts, a leading global metals, energy and petrochemicals information provider and a premier source of benchmark assessments.

The increased offering includes a greater number of assessments and a host of ferrous price assessments from the former Steel Business Briefing Group and its separate, specialized division, The Steel Index (TSI), which Platts acquired in 2011.

"Not only does Market Data-Metals now provide a holistic pricing picture of ferrous and nonferrous metals alike, it makes available in one place the full spectrum of information needed to support front, middle and back office work flows," says Andrew Goodwin, general manager, metals, Platts.

In addition to end-of-day prices from Platts, Market Data-Metals contains third-party data, access to custom historical data sets, and a rolling 45-day historical database that allows market participants, analysts and risk managers to identify market trends.

"A key feature of the new Market Data product, which we believe will resonate with data users, is its inclusion of both the Platts Iron Ore Index (IODEX) and TSI 62% Fe iron ore benchmarks," said Joe Innace, Platts editorial director, metals. "It also gives us a greatly expanded portfolio of finished-steel price data to complement our strong base and long history in nonferrous metals pricing."

Platts Market Data - Metals includes two packages, one dedicated solely to ferrous data and one that includes all ferrous data plus nonferrous metals prices:

    --  The Steel & Raw Materials package includes 870 assessments such as iron
        ore, scrap, metallurgical coal, hot-rolled coil, cold-rolled coil,
        reinforcing bar, billet, cobalt, ferrochrome, ferromanganese,
        ferromolybdenum, stainless scrap, ferrosilicon, ferrovanadium,
        molybdenum, nickel, and silicomanganese.
    --  The Metals package is comprised of 1,920 prices, including all prices
        from the Steel & Raw Materials package, plus prices for major and
        precious metals: aluminum, copper, lead, tin and zinc, gold, palladium,
        platinum, rhodium and silver; and nonferrous raw materials such as
        alumina.

For details of the price assessment methodologies, visit these website links:

Platts metals methodology webpage.

TSI metals methodology webpage.

Both assessment processes are underpinned by robust quality consistency guidelines and were developed in consultation with a cross section of key industry players.

Platts' reporting on metals markets spans more than 40 years, following the tradition of its parent company, The McGraw-Hill Companies, which has covered metals for 80 years. Platts' July 2011 acquisition of the Steel Business Briefing Group and The Steel Index, established it as a leading global metals information provider.

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, and shipping markets. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), Platts is headquartered in New York with approximately 900 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at www.platts.com

About The McGraw-Hill Companies: McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

CONTACT:
Kathleen Tanzy
212-904-286
Kathleen_tanzy@platts.com

SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts