Steel slab prices direction impacted by CSN, Gerdau, NLMK and Vale
Friday, 22 March 2019
Slab prices are not fully out of the woods Slab prices direction has been changing for a while now. Despite relatively low demand in the Asian markets and high stock in the US, slab prices once again took a different path in a direction away from where market fundamentals were supposed to be heading. So
- Published in Steel
Global slab market update: Steel slab prices show volatility
Tuesday, 19 February 2019
The slab market has been passing through an uncertain period. Demand and supply fundamentals are changing while unconventional market forces are influencing prices. It has been a wild ride for slab prices in recent months. The recovery in slab prices seen in November 2018 was short lived. Prices started to fall drastically from December. In
- Published in Steel
Global Steel Slab Market Outlook
Thursday, 16 August 2018
The reinstatement of the US sanctions is going to affect Iranian slab exports substantially. Consequently, the CIS producers, primarily Russian, will have a chance to regain market share in Europe and Asia. However, we expect that slab suppliers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, which are relatively new and have excess supply than Japanese, would become
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Iran has emerged as a significant steel exporter but is threatened by impending sanctions
Friday, 13 July 2018
Iran is the largest producer in the Middle East and North Africa and is the 13th world largest steel producer with 21.2 million tonnes of crude steel production in 2017. Some of its major steel producers include Mobarakeh Steel, Khouzestan Steel and Esfahan Steel. The country has planned to raise its output to 55 million
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A round-up of the flat steel market in South East and South Asia
Wednesday, 23 May 2018
In Southeast Asia, slab prices edged down early this month due to low demand and plentiful supply. Demand in the region is set to remain weak in the short term due to the uncertainty caused after 25% tariff on the US imports which affected various markets, particularly Asia. Meanwhile, demand in Malaysia and Indonesia remained
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Iranian steel slab and billet exports to face headwinds as the US threatens to rip up the nuclear deal
Monday, 30 April 2018
Iran has been active in the semi-finished export market for a long time. However, its exports leapt since sanctions lifted in 2016. Iranian slab supply to the spot market exceeded above the market expectation. According to the latest data from the Iranian Steel Producers Association (ISPA), Iranian semi-finished steel exports in the first ten months
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In Europe ArcelorMittal and NLMK to face challenges, but others see opportunities
Tuesday, 24 April 2018
The European market is still slow after the Easter holidays. Prices are flat, and import activity remained subdued due to the safeguards measures taken by the EU to keep imports at bay. For instance, the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, a leading port for steel in Europe, has received much less imports of steel, including
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US grants exemption on steel tariffs to EU and four other countries
Thursday, 22 March 2018
The Trump administration has decided to grant a temporary exemption to the EU, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea from the punitive tariffs. However, this exemption is temporary, and the terms will be negotiated on a country by country basis. One of the points in the negotiation would be to ally with the
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US tariffs on steel imports will distort the steel market globally
Thursday, 22 March 2018
The 25% tariff on steel imports announced by the US President on March 8th and is due to be implemented from March 23rd has already provoked reactions in the US and elsewhere. There has been opposition from both the opposition and GOP against this move due to concerns that it could end up harming US
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The US tariffs and its impact on slab trade
Friday, 09 March 2018
Donald Trump has now signed an order to impose import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% aluminium arguing that the US has been suffering from “unfair trade” and the move would help the US metal industry. The tariffs will be effective in 15 days. However, Canada and Mexico have been exempted temporarily, whilst the
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