The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Tuesday February 27.

Imports of bar products into Iran fell by 45% in the first nine months of the Iranian year, from March 20 to December 20, 2012.

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Thursday July 12.

Metal Bulletin reviews the major stories affecting the steel market over the past week.

The base metals are for the most part weaker this morning, Friday September 22, the exceptions are tin that is up by 0.2% and zinc that is little changed, while the rest are down by an average of 1.1%. Losses are fairly tightly grouped with prices off between 0.9% and 1.5%. Three-month copper prices are down by 0.9% at $6,397 per tonne.

Steel billet prices had another strong week as supplies of China- and CIS-origin material remained scarce in most markets and scrap costs continued to be strong.

Steel billet prices increased in most regions last week, despite a slight weakening in China’s domestic market, amid higher scrap prices and reduced supplies.

Vanadium prices will find a much higher base than their 2015 lows when they inevitably fall, due to a structural shift in the global vanadium market, according to Amy Bennett, principal consultant at Fastmarkets MB.

China’s crude steel output was largely flat during the last ten days of November.

The latest news and price moves to start the Asian day on Wednesday May 9.