The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) broke further out of its sideways trend, dipping by 3.61%. The main culprits driving the index down month-over-month were falling steel rebar and h-beam steel prices, compelled by weak domestic demand within China. With China’s property sector not anticipated to strengthen in the short term, steel prices could continue […]
Category: Ferrous Metals
Automotive MMI: How is China’s Excessive Steel Dumping Impacting the Automotive Industry?
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) moved sideways month-on-month, only rising by 0.78%. Hot dipped galvanized steel prices remained sideways, which helped to hold the index firmly in range. However, China’s recent dumping of excess steel supply into international markets could cause downward price movement and bearish sentiment for the remainder of 2024. China’s Hot-Dipped […]
Liberty Steel’s Polish Plant Faces Uncertain Future as Court Declares Bankruptcy
Big changes seem on the way for the Polish steel industry. Recently, local steel news outlets reported that several companies have expressed interest in leasing Polish plate producer Huta Częstochowa, which Liberty Steel acquired in 2021, after a local court declared the plant bankrupt in July. Among the potential suitors for the plant is the […]
Has China Lost its Grip on the Global Steel Industry?
Amidst continuing reports of an economic downturn with little or no sign of improvement now comes a report that the Chinese Government has suspended the system allowing approval of new steel plants. It is a move that could have significant implications for the Chinese steel industry and global steel manufacturing as a whole. According to […]
China’s Steel Dumping Finally Under Global Scrutiny
China’s direct dumping of steel in foreign markets and indirect dumping via proxy countries are finally under the global lens. According to the Malaysian Trade Ministry, the country recently launched an investigation into whether or not to impose anti-dumping duties on flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products imported from China as well as India, Japan […]
Construction MMI: US Manufacturing Boom or US Manufacturing Recession?
The Construction MMI (Monthly Metals Index) finally broke free of its year-long sideways trend, but only slightly. All in all, price action moved down by 3.52%, adding to questions about the state of US manufacturing. Iron ore, h-beam, and steel rebar prices dropping were the main components driving the index down. In general, numerous factors […]
Liberty Steel Flats Producer in Dunaújváros Planning on Targeting Automotive and Defense Sector
According to Liberty’s Steel’s parent company, GFG Alliance, the steel industry leader’s flats producer at Dunaújváros plans to target the automotive and defense sectors. This shift will occur upon the commissioning of two electric arc furnaces, which will replace the two blast furnaces currently occupying the Hungarian site. A source at the company told MetalMiner […]
Raw Steels MMI: Steel Prices Flatten Despite Bearish Conditions
The Raw Steels Monthly Metals Index (MMI) moved sideways, with a 1.15% decline from July to August. U.S. steel prices remained in search of a new bottom by the close of July. HRC prices dropped a total of 8.26% during the month, pushing them to their lowest level since December 2022. However, prices appeared to […]
Automotive MMI: EV Demand Failing to Boost Overall Metal Demand
The Automotive MMI (Monthly Metals Index) maintained a steady sideways trend month-over-month, only moving down 2.53%. Overall steel demand remains tepid, which left little bullish sentiment for hot-dipped galvanized steel. Meanwhile, other metals prices, including copper, dropped after their speculative rallies cooled off in July. Overall, the components of the automotive index had little to […]
Global Steel Prices Plunge as China Floods Market with Excess Supply
Would it be an exaggeration to say that the world’s steel narrative is unfolding in China? Everywhere one looks, there are steel industry experts complaining about Chinese steelmakers unloading their excess steel products. Take this report published at nikkei.com, which predicts that China could end the calendar year with a record-high export total, somewhere over […]
