Global Crude Steel Production Forecast Revision: Supply-Side Shocks Drive Jan-Apr 2026 Downgrade
Fastmarkets trimmed its 2026 global crude‑steel production outlook by 42.8 million tonnes, a 2% reduction from the January baseline. The downgrade stems from three supply‑side shocks: tighter capacity enforcement in China, war‑related plant damage in the Middle East, and margin‑driven cuts in non‑EU Europe. Other regions, including the United States, India and Oceania, largely held output steady despite higher input costs. The revision signals a reassessment of near‑term supply rather than a weakening of global steel demand.
Key Takeaways From EuroGrainExchange Bucharest Event 2026
The EuroGrainExchange 2026 conference highlighted a broadly balanced wheat outlook for Poland, but warned that a projected 1 million‑tonne drop in output and rising quality risks could pressure prices. Large carry‑over stocks and strong German demand keep the market stable, while...
Philippines’ Steel Inflection Point Shifts From Import Dependence to Low-Carbon, Supply-Secure Growth: SteelAsia
The Philippines steel market is entering an inflection point as construction‑driven demand surges under the Build Better More infrastructure program. SteelAsia is expanding capacity to 4.8 million tonnes by 2028, focusing on electric‑arc furnace (EAF) technology and scrap utilization to cut...
Fastmarkets Launches Cookstove and Landfill Gas CCP Carbon Credit Assessments
Fastmarkets has introduced five new carbon‑credit assessment price listings under the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market’s (ICVCM) Climate‑Change‑Positive (CCP) label. The offerings cover landfill‑gas projects in Turkey, China, Brazil and the United States, plus a cookstove portfolio in...
Driving BYD’s EV Story with Stella Li
Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice‑president, explained how the Chinese group’s EV‑first, vertically integrated model lets it innovate and scale faster than legacy OEMs tied to internal‑combustion platforms. BYD’s in‑house battery, chip and manufacturing capabilities enabled rapid pandemic‑era production pivots and...
Why Chinese Steel Imports Threaten Mexican Manufacturing Jobs
China’s steel sector is awash with excess capacity after a construction slowdown, prompting a flood of low‑priced steel into global markets. In 2025 China produced roughly 960 million tonnes of crude steel, dwarfing Latin America’s 55.5 million tonnes. Mexican officials warn that...
US Says Allies Should Pay National Security Premium for Critical Minerals; Market Reacts
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged allied nations to accept a "national security premium" for critical minerals to curb reliance on China. Prices for germanium and tungsten in Western markets are three‑to‑five times higher than in China, reflecting supply tightness...
European Veg Oils Edge up on Global Soft Oils Strength and Laurics Ease on Week
European vegetable oil prices nudged higher this week as strong energy markets buoyed the soft‑oil complex. Rapeseed oil (RSO) rose to €1,132 per tonne (about $1,335), while sunflower oil (SFO) climbed to $1,488 per tonne, despite thin trading. USDA forecasts...
Wheat Price Commentary: US, European Futures Edge Lower, Plus Global Cash Markets Steady Amid Thin Trade
U.S. wheat futures slipped on the Chicago Board of Trade, with soft red winter May contracts down 5.5 cents to $6.05 per bushel and hard red winter July contracts falling 11.25 cents to $6.68 per bushel. European Euronext wheat also...
Correction to Renewable Diesel, Del Los Angeles on April 17
Fastmarkets issued a correction for its Los Angeles renewable diesel price report, changing the published range from $3.6761‑$6.7761 per gallon to $3.6761‑$3.7761 per gallon. The pricing database has been updated to reflect the accurate range. The notice invites market participants...
Fastmarkets to Launch US Bismuth and Indium Prices
Fastmarkets announced the launch of two new US‑based price assessments for bismuth and indium, designated MB‑BI‑0004 and MB‑IN‑0005. The bismuth benchmark is quoted in dollars per pound with a minimum 1‑tonne lot, while the indium benchmark is quoted in dollars...
Correction to Steel Scrap Chicago No1 Busheling Weekly Composite
Fastmarkets announced a correction to its Chicago No1 busheling weekly composite for steel scrap, updating the pricing database to reflect the latest market information. The notice invites users to provide feedback or submit price data via dedicated email channels. Fastmarkets...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Launch Price Assessment for UCO Straits: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets has announced a proposal to launch a weekly price assessment for used cooking oil (UCO) FOB Straits, covering ports in Malaysia and Singapore, effective May 14, 2026. The assessment will be published every Thursday, using a data window that...
How Europe’s Leading Automotive Teams Are Evolving Cost Models to Master New Market Volatility
European automotive OEMs and Tier‑1 suppliers are overhauling cost models as raw‑material, battery and trade‑policy volatility becomes structural. They are moving from static annual budgets to dynamic, scenario‑based forecasting, expanding indexation to lithium, cobalt and nickel, and implementing real‑time bill‑of‑materials...
Forest Industry Shifts Toward AI and Sustainability, Pulp & Beyond Speakers Say
The Pulp & Beyond conference in Helsinki highlighted a rapid shift in the forest sector toward an integrated strategy that blends resilience, artificial intelligence and sustainability. AI is now deemed essential for pulp and paper operations, delivering measurable gains in...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Change Chinese UCO Timestamps
Fastmarkets announced it will shift the publication time for its daily used cooking oil (UCO) price assessments from 4:30 pm London time to 4:30 pm Singapore time, effective May 20 2026. The change applies to both the flexi‑tank (AG‑UCO‑0015) and bulk (AG‑UCO‑0014) FOB China...
US Steel Industry in Critical Window of Opportunity for Decarbonization Amid Upcoming Relines: RMI
The U.S. steel sector faces a pivotal decarbonization window as several blast furnaces approach costly reline deadlines before 2030, forcing capital choices that will lock in production pathways for decades. Direct‑reduced‑iron combined with electric‑arc furnace (DRI‑EAF) remains the preferred low‑carbon...
Navigating the US Biofuel Market: Turning 45Z and Other Policy Shifts Into Procurement Wins
The U.S. renewable fuel sector is confronting tighter margins, feedstock scarcity and a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. New policy levers—particularly the 45Z clean‑fuel production credit and revised Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rules for 2026—shift incentives toward low‑carbon, domestically sourced oils....
10 Things We Learned at the Montréal Wood Convention 2026
The Montréal Wood Convention highlighted that North America’s wood market is edging toward supply‑demand balance, but excess capacity—especially in the US South—remains. US tariffs on Canadian lumber have more than doubled, pushing variable production costs to about $580‑$600 per MBF...
China’s Tsingshan Plans to Build Another Aluminium Smelter in Indonesia
Chinese aluminium giant Tsingshan announced plans to build a new $3 billion smelter at Weda Bay Industrial Park in Indonesia, with a planned annual capacity of 800,000 tonnes split into two phases. The project joins existing Tsingshan‑linked facilities that will together...
How the US Is Bankrolling a Worldwide Tungsten Network
Washington is orchestrating a coordinated tungsten strategy that blends Export‑Import Bank (EXIM) and Development Finance Corporation (DFC) loans, Pentagon funding, and strategic stockpiling to curb dependence on China. The approach funds overseas projects in Kazakhstan, Australia, the UK and Rwanda...
Japan’s Daikin to Launch Rare Earth Magnet Recycling Program
Daikin announced a rare‑earth magnet recycling program slated for full‑scale operation by 2027. The initiative will collect compressors from used commercial air‑conditioners, dismantle them with Tokyo Eco Recycle and Hitachi, and hand extracted magnets to Shin‑Etsu Chemical for re‑manufacturing. Japan,...
Global Fibers for Nonwovens Under Pressure as US-Israel-Iran Conflict Drives Costs, Affects Supply
The global market for fibers used in nonwovens faced sharp cost pressure in March as the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict disrupted feedstock supplies, especially through the Strait of Hormuz. Naphtha price spikes pushed polymer costs higher, leading to 4‑11% price gains for...
Crossties Sector Faces Complex Downturn After Two Decades as a Bulwark for Hardwood Industries
The North American crosstie market, long the third‑largest hardwood consumer, is entering a sharp downturn as Class I railroads confront merger uncertainty and oversized tie inventories. The proposed Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern merger and CSX’s cost‑cutting measures have slashed tie purchases...
Kamoa-Kakula Q1 Copper Concentrate Output Falls 54% Year on Year, Ivanhoe Weighs Third-Party Purchases
Ivanhoe Mines reported that its Kamoa‑Kakula on‑site smelter generated 1,350 tonnes per day of sulfuric acid in Q1, equating to about 480,000 tonnes annually, well below its 700,000‑ton design capacity. Copper concentrate output dropped 54% year‑on‑year to 61,906 tonnes, prompting...
What’s Next for US and Mexico Aluminium? Key Insights From Fastmarkets’ Market Outlook Webinar
Fastmarkets’ webinar highlighted that Middle East supply shocks and U.S. Section 232 tariff changes are tightening aluminium markets across the United States and Mexico. Billet and primary foundry alloy (PFA) premiums have surged, while scrap aluminium is gaining prominence as a...
10 Things in Focus at CESCO Week 2026 as Sulfuric Acid Upends the Copper Market
CESCO Week 2026 highlighted a perfect storm for copper as China announced a sulfuric acid export ban effective May 1, driving acid prices toward $400 per tonne. Treatment and refining charges for copper concentrates surged past $100 per tonne, with the...
End of Open Consultation on Fastmarkets’ Ferrous Methodology
Fastmarkets concluded its open consultation on the ferrous metals pricing methodology on April 2, 2024. The agency sought industry input to ensure its price specifications and publication frequency meet IOSCO principles for price reporting agencies. No feedback was received during the...
Launch of Cold-Rolled Grain Oriented Electrical Steel, Ex-Whs Eastern China Price Assessment: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets has launched a new price assessment for cold‑rolled grain‑oriented (CRGO) electrical steel ex‑warehouse Shanghai, following a one‑month consultation that ran from March 5 to April 4, 2026. The assessment, listed under MB‑STE‑0952, covers B23R085 and 23QG085 grades, 0.23 mm thickness, with a 10‑tonne...
End of Open Consultation on Methodology for Saudi Arabia Domestic Steel Scrap Index
Fastmarkets closed its open consultation on the methodology for its Saudi Arabia domestic steel scrap index (MB-STE-0939) on April 8, 2026, after receiving no feedback. The review examined pricing process, specifications and publication frequency to meet IOSCO principles for price‑reporting agencies. A...
Correction to Alumina Index, Fob Australia and Inferred Prices on April 15
Fastmarkets issued a correction notice on April 15, adjusting its alumina price indices by two cents per tonne. The Australia FOB index was updated to $303.20 per dry metric tonne, and inferred prices for Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Brazil were...
CZPT Set Zinc Concentrates TC Guidance at $35-70 per Tonne for Q2 2026 Purchasing
Fastmarkets reports that the China Zinc and Lead Producers’ Association (CZPT) has cut its Q2 2026 zinc concentrate transaction cost (TC) guidance to $35‑70 per tonne, a $60 per tonne reduction from the $105‑120 range set for Q1 2026. Spot...
CME Lithium Carbonate Futures Contract Records Consecutive Monthly Trading Volume High in April 2026
Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s lithium carbonate futures saw a record monthly trading volume of 3,473 lots in April 2026, eclipsing the previous high of 2,373 lots set in March. Daily activity also peaked at 1,600 lots on April 2, the highest single‑day...
Unlocking the Hidden Power of Strategic Defense Materials with Jon Stibbs, Fastmarkets
Defense systems increasingly rely on four critical metals—cobalt, gallium, germanium and antimony—whose unique properties enable high‑performance engines, advanced sensors, and secure communications. Production and refining of these metals are heavily concentrated, with China controlling most processing and the Democratic Republic...
Fastmarkets Launches Mexico Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Fastmarkets has introduced a dedicated price assessment suite for Mexican stainless‑steel scrap, adding broker‑buying and ex‑works contracts for grades such as 304, 316, 409 and 430, plus the mixed‑material Zurik. The new benchmarks are published weekly on Tuesdays and are...
Decision to Change, Clarify Fastmarkets’ NCM Black Mass Payables Indicators
Fastmarkets announced revisions to its NCM black‑mass payable indicator methodology, effective April 22 2026. The update removes NCA material from the scope, tightens quality parameters (15‑25% nickel, 3‑10% cobalt, ≤5% moisture) and clarifies geographic sourcing rules for South Korean and European markets....
Powering Defense: The Strategic Metals Shaping Warfare | Fast Forward Market Briefing Transcript
The Fast Forward podcast highlighted four niche metals—cobalt, gallium, germanium and antimony—as critical to modern defense systems, from jet‑engine super‑alloys to infrared optics and ammunition. Their supply chains are heavily concentrated, with the Democratic Republic of Congo providing most cobalt...
GCC Steel Supply Crunch Deepens Despite Ceasefire Talks
Gulf steel mills continue to face severe supply constraints despite tentative cease‑fire talks between Iran and the United States. Blockades in the Strait of Hormuz have curtailed iron‑ore pellet and ferro‑alloy shipments, forcing producers to cut output and turn to...
End of Open Consultation on Methodology for Saudi Arabia Domestic Rebar Price Assessment
Fastmarkets announced the closure of its open consultation on the methodology for the Saudi Arabia domestic rebar price (MB-STE-0909). The consultation, which ran until April 6, sought to ensure the pricing process complies with IOSCO principles for Price Reporting Agencies....
Clarification of Rhenium APR Catalytic Grade Price Assessment Specification: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced that its MB-RE-0001 rhenium APR catalytic grade price assessment will be quoted in US dollars per kilogram of rhenium (USD/kg Re) rather than per kilogram of material. The product name will be updated to reflect this unit change, while...
How to Confidently Forecast Costs in Food and Beverage Procurement
Fastmarkets released a free Forecasting with Confidence Playbook that showcases how independent market intelligence can help food‑and‑beverage (F&B) procurement teams anticipate packaging and ingredient price swings. The piece highlights that global volatility—driven by geopolitical conflict and energy shocks—often leads suppliers...
Animal Protein Prices Trend Firmer Across Multiple Regions
Animal protein markets showed mixed firmness across regions in the week to April 9. In Australia, feathermeal export prices dropped to A$720‑740/tonne (≈$508‑$522), while domestic poultry meal edged higher, and New Zealand’s meat‑and‑bone‑meal (MBM) rose modestly. Brazil’s MBM prices hovered around 1.80 Reais/kg...
Decision to Launch of Antimony Trioxide 99.5% Sb2O3 Min, Exw China Price Assessment: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced the launch of a new price assessment for antimony trioxide (99.5% Sb2O3 min) on an ex‑works China basis, effective April 17, 2026. The assessment follows a one‑month consultation and adds a domestic Chinese price indicator to its industrial...
Correction to Japan Seamless Linepipe Assessments
Fastmarkets corrected the published FOB prices for Japan‑sourced seamless linepipe. The API 5L B grade price was lowered from $14,500 to $1,450 per tonne, and the API 5L X65 grade from $16,500 to $1,650 per tonne. The updates are now...
Fastmarkets to Launch Two Graphite Flake Exw China Prices
Fastmarkets announced the launch of two new ex‑works China graphite‑flake price benchmarks after a one‑month consultation that closed on April 6. The indices cover 94% carbon flake at –100 mesh and +80 mesh, with a minimum reporting size of 20 tonnes. Prices...
Publication of Fastmarkets’ Steel Scrap No1 Busheling, Delivered Mill Chicago Assessment on Thursday April 9, 2026
Fastmarkets published its latest North America ferrous scrap price assessment for No.1 busheling steel scrap delivered to mill in Chicago on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The assessment is part of Fastmarkets’ broader scrap pricing package and provides a delivered‑mill benchmark for high‑grade...
DRC Quota Extension Eases Cobalt Supply Concerns, but Market Reaction Muted
The Democratic Republic of Congo extended its cobalt export quota deadline by an additional 30 days, moving the Q4 2025 cutoff to the end of Q1 2026. CMOC, the world’s largest cobalt producer, said the extension will let it ship its full...
European Commission Publishes First CBAM Certificate Price
The European Commission released the first‑quarter 2026 Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate price at €75.36 ($89.64) per tonne CO₂e, based on the volume‑weighted average of EU Allowances (EUAs). EUA prices swung sharply in Q1, climbing above €90 before falling...
Fastmarkets Proposes Changes to Asia Copper Concentrates Index Weighting, Seeks Feedback on Normalization of Gold and Silver
Fastmarkets has proposed a dynamic, volume‑based weighting for its Asia copper concentrates TC and RC indices, moving away from the current fixed 50:50 split between trader and smelter purchases. The new method would adjust weekly using a rolling six‑month volume...
Proposal to Launch Price Assessment for Tungsten Unwrought Metal Bar, CIF Main Ports Europe, US, Japan
Fastmarkets has proposed a new weekly price assessment for unwrought tungsten metal bars of at least 99.8% purity, quoted CIF to major ports in Europe, the United States and Japan. The assessment, priced in U.S. dollars per kilogram, will cover...