US steel mills were operating in April 2026 at their highest capacity utilization rate since 2024, but because many domestic producers have gone long on contracts this year, buyers continued to report difficulty in securing tonnages of steel hot-rolled coil on the spot market.

March reinforced a cautious, largely stable European sawn timber market, with only selective price moves. Rising Nordic log costs, weather and geopolitical uncertainty are tightening margins, while UK inventory overhang and storm-related supply risks could drive volatility into Q3.

GCC recycled containerboard prices rose in April as Middle East disruptions lifted costs. On May 5, Fastmarkets’ PIX Testliner GCC and PIX Fluting GCC indices increased, while demand diverged between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The US domestic Galvalume price increased by $30 per ton in April despite soft end demand. The coated price boosted solely based on continuing strength in the hot-rolled coil market, sources said.

This consultation, which is open until June 2, 2026, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market under indexation, in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) principles for Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs). This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication frequency. You can […]

Fastmarkets has launched three new critical minerals prices on Friday May 1 to improve transparency in the US market. The additional prices are: MB-BI-0004 – Bismuth 99.99%, ddp US, $/lbMB-IN-0005 – Indium 99.99%, ddp US, $/kgMB-GA-0003 – Gallium 99.99%, ddp US $/kg The launch of the bismuth and indium price assessments follow a consultation period […]

Fastmarkets has corrected its assessment for MB-STE-0047 Steel hot-rolled coil import, cfr main port Southern Europe, €/tonne published on Wednesday April 29.

Learn how global energy shocks and delayed housing recoveries will challenge the North American wood products market in 2026. Learn to protect your margins. Read more.

Capital is flowing back into junior mining, but selectively. Investment is increasingly favouring development‑stage assets with clearer paths to production, supported by government funding and strategic partnerships. While demand for critical minerals underpins the cycle, early‑stage explorers continue to struggle for capital as investors prioritise discipline, ESG alignment and near‑term cash flow.

Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs) like Fastmarkets are helping more F&B companies manage packaging and ingredient costs by providing a unified, comprehensive view of their true cost drivers. Find out how.