Shortages of high-grade pellet-feed iron ore concentrates and good-quality ferrous scrap such as plate and structural grades mean that direct-shipping iron ore fines are likely to remain the mainstay steelmaking raw material

Despite historically high volumes, US structural panel imports from offshore suppliers have recently leveled off

Growing uncertainty about end-user demand and input costs through 2022 has driven a change in consumer habits in Europe’s aluminium and steel markets, with traders foreseeing a continuation of hand-to-mouth buying going into 2023

Volatility was one of the main themes for cobalt prices in 2022 and market participants will take a wait-and-see approach toward long-term supply contracts in the coming year

The outlook for the steel plate industry in the United States is cloudy for 2023 due to three conflicting factors: more incoming supply, expectations for stronger demand and the decoupling of the plate market from hot-rolled coil prices

China has decided to remove its import tariff on cobalt metal (Harmonized System code 81052020), a move which is not expected to largely impact the domestic market due to weak demand for the metal, sources told Fastmarkets

A potential lifting of China's sanctions on the import of Australian metallurgical coal and China's post-Covid-19 recovery will be key factors to watch in 2023, market sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday January 4

Following a consultation period and market feedback, Fastmarkets has implemented a comprehensive update of its stainless steel scrap prices to bring them in line with its global price reporting agency standards.

Prices for import pig iron in the United States rose in the week to Friday December 30 on reduced stocks and expectations of higher scrap and steel prices in early 2023

Positive feedback has spurred Aurubis to expand its investment in the United States and examine growth opportunities globally within its core business and in new fields