A crackdown on industrial activity in Tangshan, China’s steelmaking hub, is sending jitters throughout the sector. Fastmarkets examines what it means for the steel industry.

Market growth and decarbonization collide to create an unclear future for steelmaking

Chinese steelmakers looking to replenish steel scrap stocks after returning from their new year holiday on Thursday February 18, have raised bid prices for both domestic and imported material, sources told Fastmarkets.

China’s metals industry returned from holiday to find metal prices were higher and it would appear have chased prices higher, with all the base metals on the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange showing gains this morning, Thursday February 18.

Iron ore plays a critical role in decarbonizing steelmaking. What does greener steel mean for global iron ore markets? And what part will China play in driving change? Our global steel and iron experts weigh in.

China has further diversified the list of countries supplying heavy scrap (HS) imports, with recent deals from both South Korea and Singapore, market participants told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 10.

Chinese steelmakers have been actively bidding for Japanese import scrap cargoes at prices above the China domestic market level in recent days, sources have told Fastmarkets.

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were mainly weaker, while those on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mainly firmer this morning, Thursday February 4, with the weaker dollar likely weighing on dollar-denominated prices.

Ferrous markets are volatile, and 2020 marked one of the most up-and-down years for steel pricing in recent memory, but perhaps no year was as unpredictable as 2008.

Fastmarkets MB is inviting feedback on its iron ore indices, as part of its annual methodology review, in compliance with Iosco principles for price reporting agencies (PRAs).