Why Automakers Are Set to Lead Green Steel Adoption in Europe?
Automakers consume roughly one‑fifth of EU steel, making them a pivotal demand source for low‑carbon steel. EU Fit for 55 regulations force a 55% CO2 reduction for new cars by 2030 and a full 100% cut by 2035, turning green steel from a voluntary choice into a compliance necessity. Consumers are willing to pay a premium—up to 25% for sustainability—while the material cost impact is modest, adding only $100‑200 per vehicle. Consequently, automotive steel’s emissions intensity is projected to fall 26% by 2035 as conventional blast‑furnace share drops to 42%.
Middle East: Middle East Conflict Pushes PIX GCC Testliner, Fluting Indices Higher in March
The March Fastmarkets PIX indices for GCC containerboard jumped about 4.4%, with testliner reaching $482.44 per tonne and fluting $457.33 per tonne. Disruptions from the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced Saudi corrugators to shift from imported recycled...
‘I’m Not Doing This for Fun, I’m Fully Committed’: HBI Investor on $5.7 Bln Green Steel Push in Brazil
Brazil Iron’s Bahia project is a $5.7 billion effort to produce up to 15 million tonnes per year of hot‑briquetted iron (HBI), positioning Brazil as a major supplier of green steel feedstock. The venture has already invested about $1.7 billion, with 85% of...
EU-Mercosur Deal to Take Provisional Effect May 1; Limited Immediate Impact for Paper Industry Seen
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement will enter provisional effect on May 1, 2026 after the European Commission’s final procedural step. While the deal promises gradual tariff reductions for pulp, paper and board, no immediate eliminations occur and most cuts will be...
Integrated Mills Push for Tissue Jumbo Rolls Price Hikes; Smaller Mills Respond to Buyer Resistance in China
Integrated pulp and tissue producers in South and East China lifted jumbo‑roll prices by 50‑100 yuan ($7‑14) per tonne in early April, citing higher wood‑chip costs and scheduled maintenance shutdowns. Smaller and medium‑sized mills, facing strong buyer resistance, retracted proposed hikes...
Voluntary Blending Rises as Biodiesel Premiums Turn Negative in the EU
Crop-based biodiesel in the EU fell below fossil diesel prices on April 2, with FAME 0 and RME premiums turning negative for the first time. The price gap, roughly $45 per tonne, makes a 7% biodiesel blend cheaper than pure...
Fastmarkets to Change Frequency of US Delivered Tin Price
Fastmarkets announced that its US‑delivered tin price will now be published quarterly, shifting from more frequent updates. The change follows a methodology review that identified low spot liquidity and price volatility, and it was supported by market participants. The new...
Fastmarkets Suspends 10 Steel Pipe Prices, CFR Jebel Ali
Fastmarkets announced the suspension of ten steel pipe price assessments for the CFR Jebel Ali market, covering both seamless and welded OCTG casings and linepipe grades. The suspension follows ongoing disruptions caused by the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict, which has hampered regional deliveries...
Fastmarkets to Launch Cold-Rolled Grain Oriented Electrical Steel, Ex-Whs Eastern China Price Assessment: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets will begin publishing a bi‑weekly price assessment for cold‑rolled grain‑oriented electrical steel (GOES) in Eastern China starting April 17. The new assessment follows a month‑long consultation and adds to Fastmarkets’ existing coverage of non‑grain oriented steel in China and...
Delayed Publication of Nickel, Cobalt MHP Payable Indicators Cif China, Japan and South Korea
Fastmarkets announced that the publication of its nickel and cobalt mixed‑hydroxide precipitate (MHP) payable indicators on a CIF China, Japan and South Korea basis was delayed on April 2 due to a reporter error. The affected assessments – MB‑NIO‑0004 for nickel...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Amend Publication Times, Holiday Pricing Schedule for Asian Base Metals Assessments
Fastmarkets has proposed shifting the publication schedule for its Asian base‑metal assessments from UK working hours to China or Singapore working hours, aligning the holiday calendar with local markets. The change also introduces new cut‑off times for several copper assessments...
Correction to Steel Hot-Rolled Coil Index Domestic, Exw Northern Europe and Inferred Prices: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets corrected a reporting error in its hot‑rolled coil (HRC) index for domestic EXW Northern Europe, changing the price from €711.50 to €713.08 per tonne (approximately $784). The same notice fixed two inferred price ranges: green‑steel base price now €813.08‑883.08...
US Scrap Trends Outlook: April 2026
US ferrous scrap prices are projected to fall about 3.1% month‑on‑month in April, with the Fastmarkets Trend Indicator slipping to 46.9, below the neutral 50 threshold. Consensus sentiment hit a record low of 47.0, indicating minimal agreement on future direction....
Extended Proposal to Discontinue Certain Welded, Seamless Tube and Pipe Prices
Fastmarkets has extended its proposal to discontinue eight price assessments for welded and seamless tube and pipe products in Europe and India. The move follows a period of subdued market activity and limited data availability, prompting the firm to retire...
Mining’s Capital Challenge with Sir Mick Davis, Vision Blue Resources
The mining sector faces a paradox: demand for copper, lithium, nickel and rare earths is surging to power the energy transition, yet the cost of capital to develop new projects has reached historic highs. Sir Mick Davis explains that modern...
Guinea Calls Time on Runaway Bauxite Growth | Hotter Commodities
Guinea is abandoning blanket bauxite export caps and will enforce production levels that match each project's original feasibility study commitments. The regime also ties export permissions to value‑addition pledges, such as alumina refining and railway investments. As the world’s top...
Surviving the Squeeze: The Future of South Asia’s Edible Oil Markets
Fastmarkets hosted a webinar analyzing South Asia’s edible‑oil market, highlighting India’s structural reliance on imports despite rising domestic production. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are inflating freight and fertilizer costs, pushing food price inflation higher. Forecasts show Indian palm‑oil...
Ukraine’s New-Crop Grain Offered without Usual Discount to Old-Crop Prices
Ukraine’s new‑crop grain prices are trading virtually level with, or even above, old‑crop values – a rare deviation from the usual discount. New‑crop 11.5% wheat is offered at $234 /tonne FOB, just $2 below the $236 /tonne old‑crop level, while new‑crop corn...
Fastmarkets Proposes Changes to Quality, Tonnage Specifications for Battery-Grade Cif CJK Lithium Salts Assessments
Fastmarkets has issued a consultation proposing new quality, tonnage, payment and shelf‑life specifications for its benchmark battery‑grade lithium‑hydroxide and lithium‑carbonate assessments in the China, Japan and Korea (CJK) market. The draft raises the minimum shipment size from 5 to 18...
The Impact of Energy Prices on European Paper Packaging Buyers’
A surge in Middle East conflict has pushed European energy prices sharply higher, with the Dutch TTF natural‑gas benchmark jumping from about $33 to $74 per megawatt‑hour, a rise of over 60 percent. Because roughly half of paper‑mill energy in...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Launch US Bismuth, Indium Price Assessments: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced plans to introduce fortnightly price assessments for bismuth and indium on a Delivered‑Duty‑Paid (DDP) US basis starting May 1. The bismuth benchmark will be quoted in USD per pound with a minimum 1‑tonne contract, while indium will be priced...
How Major Grid and Energy Operators Are Modernising Indexed Pricing for the Energy Transition
Grid and energy infrastructure operators across Europe are facing a new pricing reality as suppliers shift to volatile, index‑linked contracts for critical metals. To manage this risk, operators are adopting independent market benchmarks and automating pricing workflows. Fastmarkets helped a...
Green Steel Demand: Which Sectors Will Lead the Transition in Europe?
European green‑steel demand remains concentrated in a few high‑impact sectors, with the automotive industry driving most of the growth. By 2035, automotive purchases are projected to account for roughly one‑third of the continent’s low‑carbon steel, while construction’s share slips from...
Open Consultation on Annual Methodology Review for Manganese Ore Indices
Fastmarkets has opened a public consultation, running until April 27 2026, to review the methodology behind three of its manganese ore price indices – a high‑grade CIF Tianjin benchmark and two 36.5% Mn semi‑carbonate indices (CIF Tianjin and FOB Port Elizabeth). The review...
Blue Moon Apex Deal Underscores Gallium, Germanium Supply Push, Refining Gap
Blue Moon Metals completed its acquisition of the Apex mine, a former U.S. producer of gallium, germanium and copper, to re‑establish domestic supply of these critical metals. The deal includes a 0.5% net smelter return royalty for Teck and positions...
Rio Tinto Targets Broader Aluminium Footprint, Division CEO Says
Rio Tinto’s aluminium division is accelerating a global diversification strategy, adding projects in Europe, India and Brazil while expanding its low‑carbon AP60 smelter technology. The AP60 system, already operating in Quebec, reduces greenhouse‑gas emissions to about one‑seventh of the industry...
China’s Green Ferro-Alloys Drive Gathers Pace, but Premium Pricing Remains Elusive – AFA2026
Chinese ferro‑alloy producers are rapidly installing direct‑current (DC) furnaces, delivering 10‑15% electricity savings and lower coke use while aligning with clean‑energy grids. Upstream collaborations, such as South32’s pelletization deal, aim to secure low‑carbon feedstocks, and steelmakers’ decarbonisation projects could boost...
Veg Oils Price Surge: CPO and CME Soyoil Futures Extend Gains
Vegetable oil futures, led by crude palm oil (CPO) and CME soybean oil, surged amid rising crude oil prices and heightened Middle East tensions. The most active May CPO contract on Bursa Malaysia rose 0.93% to 4,541 ringgit per tonne,...
Delayed Publication of India Steel Price Assessments: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced that its India steel price assessments were published on March 20, a day later than scheduled. The delayed release includes domestic and export prices for hot‑dipped galvanized coil, cold‑rolled coil, hot‑rolled coil, heavy plate, billets, and electrical steel,...
Carbon Storage Technologies Could Boost Revenues for Pulp and Paper Producers: Fastmarkets Research
Fastmarkets warns EU ETS free allocation phase‑out will hit about 40% of European pulp mills from 2026. The loss of roughly €4.5 billion in surplus allowances and rising compliance costs pressure already tight margins. Analysts suggest carbon capture and storage (CCS)...
Tungsten 2026: Geopolitics Sets Global Tone
The global tungsten market entered 2026 amid extreme volatility driven by geopolitics, export controls, and resource nationalism. China’s February 2025 export controls on ammonium paratungstate (APT) and other tungsten products triggered a supply shock, pushing APT prices from $900‑$940 to...
Mitsui Locks 40% Josemaria Copper Concentrates Offtake, Fortescue Acquires Cañariaco for $101 Mln
Mitsui & Co secured a 40% off‑take right to copper concentrate from Argentina’s Josemaria deposit, a BHP‑Lundin joint venture containing roughly 4.6 Mt of copper and slated to start production by 2030. The right was purchased from JOGMEC via a public...
Fastmarkets Set to Launch New Rare Earth Spot Prices to Capture Global Trade Outside China
Fastmarkets will introduce three new global spot prices for dysprosium oxide 99.5%, terbium oxide 99.99% and ferro‑dysprosium 80% on March 19. The move responds to Chinese export controls and dwindling non‑Chinese supply, which have forced Japan and other magnet‑dependent economies...
Delayed Publication of European Magnesia Prices
Fastmarkets announced a delayed publication of six European magnesia price indices, covering calcined agricultural, Greek raw, dead‑burned (90% and 95% MgO), fused (97% MgO), and lump forms (90% and 97% MgO). The notice lists the specific product codes (MB‑MAG‑0012, 0013,...
The Tariff Mirage: Why Steel Prices Are Higher than They Should Be
U.S. steel prices remain elevated because tariff uncertainty adds a risk premium that outpaces weak demand and softening industrial indicators. Reduced imports have pushed buyers toward higher‑cost domestic mills, providing short‑term price support despite limited capacity. Ongoing legal challenges to...
Energy Storage to Emerge as Demand Driver for Lithium: Liontown CEO
Liontown Resources CEO Tony Ottaviano says large‑scale stationary energy storage is emerging as a second engine for lithium demand, reducing reliance on electric vehicles alone. Fastmarkets forecasts global storage installations will grow ~25% annually, reaching about 800 GWh by 2030 and...
Fastmarkets to Launch Three New China Copper Scrap Grades, Increase Frequency
Fastmarkets will shift its CIF China copper scrap price publication from a monthly to a weekly schedule and add three new grades—millberry, cobra and clove—under the GB 38471‑2023 standard. Existing No 1 and No 2 grades retain their definitions, with minimum contract sizes...
Market Continues to Digest Koko’s Collapse, Kenyan CORSIA Supply Implications
Koko Networks’ Kenyan operations entered insolvency after the government refused a Letter of Approval needed for CORSIA Phase 1 eligibility, halting the project’s credit pipeline. Spot prices for eligible CORSIA credits slipped from a peak of $23.10 to $15.90 per tonne...
China Signals ETS Expansion as Compliance Rules Prepare Steel, Cement Sectors
China’s 2024 work report confirmed plans to broaden its national emissions trading system beyond power to heavy‑industry sectors such as steel, cement and aluminium. New compliance rules now require these firms to report and verify emissions, laying the groundwork for...
Middle East Conflict Might Create Supply Constraints, Raise in Aluminium Premiums in Mexico
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, choking the primary aluminium supply chain that relies on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) smelters. Force‑majeure notices from Qatalum and Aluminium of Bahrain have driven premiums higher, with...
Auto a Key Market to Drive Steel Decarbonization: SteelWatch
Automakers are accelerating the shift to low‑emissions steel, with 13 of 18 major carmakers now implementing decarbonisation measures. The sector’s willingness to pay a 20‑30% premium per tonne for hydrogen‑based direct‑reduced‑iron (DRI) steel is creating early demand that could unlock...
ICAO Invites Applicants for TAB 2026 Assessment Cycle and Stricter LOA Requirements to Affect CORSIA Phase 2 Supply
ICAO’s Technical Advisory Body (TAB) has opened applications for its 2026 assessment cycle, introducing substantially stricter host‑party attestation (Letter of Authorization) requirements and tighter integrity criteria. The TAB will no longer consider first‑phase programs for new eligibility, though successful 2026...
ETS Prices Defy Rise in Gas Prices as Middle East Conflict Continues
European carbon allowances (EUAs) stayed flat around €70 despite a sharp 40‑70% rise in Dutch TTF gas futures triggered by the Middle‑East conflict. Gas prices jumped from €31 to over €45 in early March, normally prompting coal‑fuel switching and higher...
World’s Top Bauxite Producer Considers Export Curbs After Supply Glut Leads to Price Slump
Guinea, now the world’s largest bauxite producer, is weighing export curbs as a glut has driven prices down roughly 50% since January 2025. Export shipments surged 25% to 183 million tonnes last year, far exceeding licence‑based production plans. The government is...
Teck, Korea Zinc Agree Benchmark Zinc Concentrate TCs at $85 per Tonne
Teck and Korea Zinc have set the benchmark zinc concentrate treatment charge (TC) at $85 per tonne, a $5 increase from the previous level. The agreement introduces a payable for germanium and revises the silver payable, though sources disagree on...
Diesel Rally Drives US Animal Fats and Oils to Multi-Month Highs
A diesel and heating‑oil rally has lifted US animal‑fat and oil feedstock prices to multi‑month highs, with the Gulf hub seeing used cooking oil near 68 cents per pound and tallow and distiller’s corn oil hitting eight‑month and three‑year peaks. The...
Lundin, BHP’s Vicuña Project Targets 395,000 Tpy of Copper Concentrate From Argentina
Lundin Mining and BHP’s 50‑50 Vicuña joint venture in the Argentina‑Chile border region plans to produce an average of 395,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year, alongside 711,000 ounces of gold and 22.2 million ounces of silver. The three‑stage development requires...
Fastmarkets to Change Frequency of US Delivered Tin Price
Fastmarkets announced it will change the publication frequency of its US delivered tin price assessment (MB‑SN‑0011) from monthly to quarterly, beginning with the April 7, 2026 assessment. The shift follows internal reviews and market consultations that highlighted low spot liquidity...
China Searches for a Way Out of Brazil’s Steel Barriers
Chinese steel exporters are confronting steep anti‑dumping duties in Brazil, ranging from $285 to $710 per tonne, which could render Chinese imports unviable for up to five years. The duties target pre‑painted, cold‑rolled, and coated steel, prompting Chinese firms to...
Iran Conflict Disrupts Agricultural Commodity Flows; South American Soymeal Washouts Reported
The Iran‑Israel‑US conflict has forced the cancellation of several South American soymeal and soybean cargoes destined for Iran, prompting exporters to consider washouts or rerouting. Soymeal premiums are under pressure as freight rates spike, especially on Atlantic routes, while Brazil’s...