China Five Year Plan and the steel industry

China Five Year Plan will support steel scrap consumption

The fifth plenum session of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) central committee discusses the 14th five-year plan 2021-2025. During the meeting, the long term goals going up to 2035, were also discussed. The plan is centred on technological development and environmental goals and will be passed by the National People’s Congress in early
US Brazil steel quota

US slashes Q4 quota for semi-finished steel (slab and billets)

When Mr Trump imposed 25% duties on steel products in 2018, Brazil swiftly secured a deal, better than any other country. Since then, Brazilian slab producers commanded better margins by piggybacking on Section 232 quota; whereas others, chiefly the CIS producers, suffered. The Trump administration tinkered with the market in a way to allow Brazilian
Korean shipbuilding

The shipbuilding industry in China falters

The new vessel orders in China sank in the first seven months of this year, highlighting the underlying weak demand chiefly caused by the epidemic. The national shipbuilders secured new vessel orders proportionate to around 14 million deadweight tonnes (dwt) during January-July this year, fell by 4.8% year-year basis, according to China Association of the
Steel slab prices are on the rise

Steel slab prices are on the rise

The impact of the coronavirus outbreak is still high in various parts of the world. In Europe, the steel market is slowly returning to normal in key countries, such as Germany, France and Italy, but it is still far from pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, Eurofer has requested a 75% cut to the import quotas to help
steel market is struggling due to COVID-19

The global steel market is still not out of the woods

The negative impact of the COVID-19 on the steel market is expected to continue around the world over the next three months. The number of coronavirus cases has been growing rapidly in various countries, such as the US, Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Japan. As a result, we anticipate that finished steel demand is going to
Cement Demand and supply

Cement market faces uncertainty in the short term

Lockdown created a tougher environment for cement producers around the world. Some governments have now realised the importance of the cement industry and included cement manufacturers to the exemption list though others are still contemplating. However, the exemption is not enough to drive the cement supply to normalcy. The issue is hydra-headed and goes deep
Steel Plate in shipbuilding

Shipbuilding and Steel Plate Market

Impact of coronavirus on shipbuilding The global shipbuilding industry has been in doldrums due to the falling demand caused by COVID-19. In the first quarter of 2020, global orders for new vessels declined by 70% year-on-year to nearly 2.4 million compensated gross tonnage (CGT). It is ascertained that investment in the shipbuilding industry also hit
Electrical steel in consumer electronics and appliances

Electrical steel industry faces headwinds

The global electrical steel industry will remain subdued in the short term due to challenges posed by COVID-19. Electrical steel demand is ascertained to have declined in key end-users such as appliances, transformers and automotive. Development works on most renewable projects are placed on hold due to disruptions in the supply chain as countries imposed
Plastic and metal packaging demand

Plastic and metal packaging demand is set to rise

The global packaging market, particularly plastic and metal, is expected to see additional growth in the short to medium terms. This renewed growth would be owed to drastic changes in consumer behaviour. COVID-19 is expected to strongly influence consumer behaviour and encourage shoppers to buy packaged items in order to prevent virus transmission. This trend
Steel slab price to recover soon

Slab prices hit the bottom

Slab prices have nearly hit bottom in April and continued its downward trajectory in almost all major markets. Prices have now very little room for further decline. We expect prices to remain range-bound in the short term before turning the corner in May. Commodity Inside expects that any new waves of the COVID-19 outbreak in
TOP