The seaborne iron ore market was quiet at the start of the week, although news of output cuts at mills in a key steel production region in north China, shook market confidence.

The steel scrap sector in the United States still depends on exports to Turkey, a member of the Fastmarkets research team said during the ferrous session at the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) conference in London last weekend.

Steel billet prices dropped in almost all markets last week, affected by falling finished steel prices in China and continued weak buying activity due to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Man of Steel is the nom de plume of an experienced steel trader, who will be writing a column for Metal Bulletin on a regular basis. Do you agree with him? Email editorial@metalbulletin.com Trading company ceos around the world are worried as they consider their activities and the outlook as they prepare their second-quarter (or second-half) results.

Here are five Fastmarkets MB stories you might have missed on Friday February 8 that are worth another look.

As competition in the global steel markets remains fierce, Metal Bulletin provides an update on the new, progressing and closed trade cases from around the world in July 2018.

Metal Bulletin’s daily index for Northern Europe-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) delivered to Turkey dropped day-on-day by $6.89 on Wednesday September 24 on a deal clinched at a lower price.

Billet prices have dropped over the past week in most regional markets, in tandem with softening ferrous scrap prices and weaker steel demand in China.

Metal Bulletin reviews some of the key news and price moves from the past week in the global steel market.

Fastmarkets published its India domestic, export and import prices later than scheduled on Friday April 12, because of a technical issue.