Price trends in the global steel billet market were mixed in the week ended Friday February 2 with pricing moving in different directions in the various markets.

Three-month base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were for the most part little changed this morning, Monday March 18, the exception being copper, whose price was up by 0.7% at $6,474 per tonne, compared with $6,431.50 per tonne at Friday’s close.

Steel imports are poised to halt a five-month slide and jump 10.7% from September to October thanks to gains in line pipe, hot-dipped galvanized products and hot-rolled coil.

Iron ore producer Earthstone Group is looking to build steel plants in Indonesia and Morocco, assistant vice president Joshina Kapoor has said.

China’s crude steel output retreated in late December following consecutive increases that began in mid-November.

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 April 2017.

China’s largest steelmaker Hebei Iron & Steel expects its full-year results for 2013 to remain at low levels on account of the weak the steel market last year.

A Chinese steel mill has suspended blast furnaces after a loan default almost brought the mid-tier mill to bankruptcy.

Price trends in the global billet market diverged in the week ended Friday January 12 because of a number of factors.

Lower oil prices and a weaker euro could sustain activity in the EU long steel market at levels better than those forecast, the International Rebar Producers & Exporters Assn (Irepas) has said.