Fastmarkets' Middle East conflict coverage

Steel markets in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are facing a growing supply crisis for steel and raw materials after the month-long regional conflict paralyzed shipping.

The Nordic sawn timber industry faces a crisis. A combination of factors, including rising log costs following the halt of Russian imports, sluggish demand for end-products, and tightening EU environmental regulations, is severely squeezing profit margins.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has had a pronounced impact on the packaging industry across the GCC region, sending March containerboard prices and demand soaring. With shipping routes disrupted and fuel costs climbing, packaging producers are facing considerable logistical hurdles. As import delays persist, Saudi Arabia has seen a surge in containerboard demand, with orders increasingly redirected to local mills. Meanwhile, UAE fuel prices have jumped by 72%, though Saudi prices have remained stable despite volatility in global oil markets.

Crop-based biodiesel became cheaper than fossil diesel in the EU for the first time on Thursday April 2, when premiums for core crop grades FAME 0 (fatty acid methyl ester 0) and RME (rapeseed methyl ester) over ICE gasoil fell into negative territory.

Logistics disruptions, sharply higher freight costs and limited raw materials supply are among the main impacts from the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran on the Middle East’s steel market, Asam Hussain, the chief executive officer of Arabian Gulf Steel Industries (AGSI), told Fastmarkets on Wednesday April 1.

See how surging fuel costs and inflation reshape North American paper and board markets. Read our analysis of the oil shock impact on paper packaging. Read more.