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.

Chinese zinc smelters expressed concerns of possible production cuts amid fierce competition for concentrates raw materials, as treatment charges (TCs) have dropped to historic lows at the end of May, though byproduct gains from sulfuric acid have still lent strong support to smelters’ margins, sources told Fastmarkets.

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.

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.

Front-loading cleared roughly €820 million in CBAM liabilities before the definitive phase began. The pattern is unlikely to be a one-off as free allowances step down toward zero in 2034.

The European Commission's draft CBAM carbon price legislation, published May 13, sets out how carbon costs paid abroad will count toward EU import obligations. It also caps Article 6 credit usage at 10% of emissions and applies retrospectively from January 2026.

In this short episode of Fast Forward, Alex Kershaw, senior analyst for steel, raw materials and ferrous scrap at Fastmarkets, unpacks the recent volatility in global scrap steel markets and what is driving price movements across key regions.

As Brazil implemented protective measures against Chinese flat steel — enforcing anti-dumping duties on cold-rolled coil, coated steel, and pre-painted steel sequentially since early 2026 — China's monthly exports of finished steel to the country declined to their lowest levels since 2024, significantly reducing a market that previously consumed over 400,000 tonnes per month.

On Wednesday May 6, a critical minerals panel at Commodities Trading Week in London said metals markets are shifting from an energy transition-led narrative toward security of supply, leaving Europe particularly exposed because of its reliance on imports.

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.