The Trump administration has concluded its investigation against Brazil under Section 301, with the country’s Trade Representative Jamieson Greer proposing a 25% tariff on the South American country’s imports but putting forth a list of exempted items.

A United Auto Workers (UAW) strike at the American Axle factory in Three Rivers, Michigan, that began on Monday June 1 could lead to reduced demand for automotive steel if not resolved quickly, but analysts disagree on whether it will ultimately have a significant impact.

Half a million tonnes of copper is sitting in US warehouses, and the traders who put it there are starting to wonder whether they’ve built a hedge, or a trap.

The newly signed Mexico-EU (EU) trade deal could signal a shift in steel trade toward the EU, but Mexican steelmakers will still prefer trade within North America, a steel producer told Fastmarkets.

European automotive procurement faces growing complexity due to regional cost volatility and policy-driven supply chains reshaping material pricing and sourcing strategies. This demands granular, region-specific market intelligence for precise cost modeling and strategic decision-making.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows, has been closed for three months since US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, driving up energy costs and putting Europe's aluminium sector under pressure.

JX Advanced Metals, Mitsui Kinzoku, Marubeni and Mitsubishi Materials(MMC) inked a deal to integrate MMC's copper concentrate procurement and related products sales business into Pan Pacific Copper (PPC), marking a significant consolidation of Japan's copper concentrate purchasing sector amid persistent pressure from weak treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs).

This week's lumber market saw modest price shifts and slow sales. Mills struggled to ship orders, leading to backlogs, while buyers found discounts increasingly difficult to secure.

A timely deep-dive into how Brazil's biodiesel mandate delays, the US EPA's new Renewable Volume Obligations, and Iran-driven crude oil volatility have combined to reshape South American soybean oil export flows, crush margins, and cash premiums in 2026.

An interview with Assistant Secretary, Michael Cadenazzi at the Department of War, as it is known, and Zach Boykin, the department's technical director for strategic and critical minerals with Andrea Hotter for the Fast Forward podcast.