As US automotive OEMs localize supply chains and accelerate EV rollout, margin pressure is intensifying across steel, aluminium and battery inputs.

Despite mixed signals on box demand, significant capacity reductions and rising costs are enabling US containerboard producers to push for a second major price increase this year.

The US company EVelution Energy outlined its plans to produce 3,000 tonnes per year of cobalt metal in the United States from Congolese hydroxide, speaking with Fastmarkets on Wednesday May 13 on the sidelines of the Cobalt Congress that took place in Madrid, Spain (May 12-13).

Steel energy tube and pipe prices will continue rising amid the US war with Iran and a lack of imported material, Cody Schlueter, president and owner of Port Pipe and Tube, told Fastmarkets in an exclusive interview on May 4.

The Canadian government announced on Tuesday May 4 a new financing program worth C$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) to help mitigate the effect of US metals tariffs and support several of Canada’s tariffed industries.

Recovered paper prices for old corrugated containers (OCC) and new double-lined kraft cuttings (DLK) increased in May, driven by strong domestic and export demand, coupled with persistent trucking slowdowns.

This consultation, which was open until April 30, sought to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market, 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. The price under review was:MB-IRO-0004 […]

A new US-backed structure is attempting to turn critical minerals inventory from a cost burden into a strategic asset. Project Vault combines pooled demand, private governance and capped-return financing to create a shared supply buffer—and potentially the first steps toward price discovery in fragmented markets.

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.

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.