SOUTH ASIA STEEL SCRAP: Shredded crosses $400/t mark

The price of shredded steel scrap imported into India and Pakistan crossed $400 per tonne on Friday December 11 as a result of high international prices and tight shipping availability, sources told Fastmarkets.

India
Fastmarkets calculated the steel scrap, shredded, index, import, cfr Nhava Sheva, India at $401.81 per tonne on Friday, up from $380.65 per tonne one week earlier.

Deals were heard at $390 per tonne and $400-405 per tonne for shredded material, up from $380 per tonne last week.

Offers were as high as $410 per tonne this week, up from $375-380 per tonne the week before.

A rising international market has continued to support the key global scrap markets, in addition to the ongoing poor availability of shipping containers and increased shipping freight rates.

Fastmarkets calculated the index for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), North Europe origin, cfr Turkey at $392.66 per tonne on December 11, up from $348.61 per tonne on December 1.

“The markets are sky rocketing, but [domestic] scrap turns out cheaper,” a buyer said.

“It’ll be worse next year as shipping freights are up for January. Towards Christmas time, yards will be closing, with small yards clearing out before they close,” a trader said.

“The increase in freight has the biggest role to play in the price hike. There is increasing demand, especially from countries like Turkey, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Indian demand is positive, although it slowed down a bit after the festival season. The increase in ferrous price is reflecting in finished prices but December should be low in demand month,” a mill source said.

The weekly price assessment for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20 mix), import, cfr Nhava Sheva, India was $360-380 per tonne on Friday, up from $345-360 per tonne in the previous week.

UK-origin HMS offers made up the bottom end of the range, with Middle East-origin and Australian material making up the top end.

Prices were sky rocketing, with some UK yards not quoting due to a lack of clarity for availability and not able to supply containers, a second buyer said, adding that Indian demand was being supported by government expenditure for infrastructure projects.

Pakistan
Fastmarkets calculated the steel scrap shredded, index, import, cfr Port Qasim, Pakistan at $403.39 per tonne on December 11, up from $380.63 per tonne on December 4.

Deals for shredded material were heard at $400 per tonne for UK material, $400-405 per tonne and $410 per tonne, up from a deal level of $378-380 per tonne last week.

“The Pakistan market has moved up, but there are not many offers available. Local rebar producers are also increasing the finished prices,” a trader said.

This week, rebar prices moved up by $18 per tonne due to an increase in raw material prices.

What to read next
The amendment follows the decision made on May 14, after a consultation period for the proposed changes which took place between April 3 and May 11. The changes were first proposed in a pricing note published on April 3.  The purpose of the changes is to align the publication times to the activity in the […]
Fastmarkets has launched three weekly wheat freight rate assessments — Ukraine-Egypt, CVB-Egypt and Russia-Saudi Arabia — and has clarified that its existing Black Sea-North Africa freight assessment refers to the Russia-Egypt route and its Black Sea-Persian Gulf assessment refers to the Russia-Iran route. The Russia-Egypt assessment will also transition from Supramax to Handy-sized vessels. All changes are effective Wednesday May 20, 2026.
South Korea has stepped up its efforts to support its steel sector, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and tariff pressures elsewhere, by including the sector in a $54 billion support package for key industries in the country, Fastmarkets understands.
Fastmarkets changed the timestamp for its daily used cooking oil flexi-tank, fob China and used cooking oil, bulk, fob China price assessments from 4:30pm London time to 4:30pm Singapore time effective Wednesday May 20, 2026, as a result of an open consultation.
The proposal follows Fastmarkets’ observations that the commodity sees inactive spot liquidity and low volatility in prices. The proposed new specifications for the prices are as follows, with the amendments in italics: MB-NI-0246 Nickel sulfate, cif Japan and Korea, $/tonneQuality: Accepted by buyer for use in battery applications with chemical composition: Ni content, base 22.3% […]
Fastmarkets is clarifying the publishing schedule for two Saudi Arabia steel price assessments following confirmation of the dates of the Eid al-Adha holiday.  The two price assessments affected are as follows: MB-STE-0909 – Steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Saudi Arabia, riyals/tonne MB-STE-0940 – Steel billet, import, cfr Saudi Arabia, $/tonne The domestic rebar price assessment […]