Iron ore market participants said Simandou’s production ramp-up remains on track to meet market expectations, with growing exports from Guinea expected to influence freight markets, high-grade ore pricing and steel decarbonization strategies.

Argentina’s steel industry is showing signs of recovery in 2026, but the rebound remains uneven, with stronger crude steel output contrasting with weak finished steel demand, depressed long steel consumption and renewed pressure from imports.

North American EV demand is slowing with BEV adoption declining while hybrid vehicle sales gain momentum, prompting automakers to reset strategies amid policy shifts and trade pressures.

A tentative easing of tensions in the Middle East has failed to convince market participants that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will quickly return to pre-conflict norms, panellists said at Fastmarkets' Iron Ore Decoded 2026 conference, held during Singapore International Ferrous Week.

India's drive toward 300 million tonnes per year of steelmaking capacity by 2030 is on track from a capacity standpoint, but panellists at Fastmarkets' Iron Ore Decoded 2026 conference said the country's domestic iron ore base is likely to fall short of supporting that growth.

JSW Steel USA’s production of its first fully degassed 12-inch slab at its mill in Mingo Junction, Ohio, could reduce the company’s reliance on imported slab, according to information obtained by Fastmarkets, raising questions about future demand for Brazilian exports at a time when the global slab market is already facing weaker demand and increasing competition.

Latin America's apparent steel consumption is expected to remain broadly stalled in 2026 before recovering more meaningfully in 2027, but the region's steel industry continues to face mounting pressure from rising imports and historically weak production levels, according to Latin American steel association Alacero.

As Mexico seeks to strengthen domestic manufacturing supply chains and reduce its reliance on imported steel products, special bar quality (SBQ) steel has emerged as one of the segments offering the greatest growth potential for local producers, according to TYASA’s three chief executive officers, whom Fastmarkets sat down with in an exclusive interview to discuss the company’s new SBQ rolling mill.

US trade union United Auto Workers and the Dauch Corporation, formerly known as American Axle, reached a tentative agreement on Wednesday June 10 that could restore the loss in demand for automotive steel resulting from a workers’ strike.

Lack of standardisation, certifications and market practises is creating growing uncertainty across green steel markets, with implications for pricing, procurement and credibility.