News
May 15
The mid-May trading window (May 13–17) has delivered a series of profound external shocks to the international steel industry, resulting in widespread price adjustments across multiple continents. A combination of persistent macroeconomic inflation, severe import restrictions in Western markets, and highly watched diplomatic meetings in Asia have collectively tightened available global supply.
Geopolitical realities in the Middle East continue to act as a primary inflationary catalyst for global manufacturing. Rising energy, fuel, and alloy costs have drastically increased the baseline operating expenses for integrated steel mills.By mid-week, benchmark 62% Fe iron ore fines surged to$113 per metric ton—approaching a two-year record. Concurrently, metallurgical coking coal stabilized at an elevated$240 per metric ton.
In response to these cost pressures, major Asian and Southeast Asian producers announced sweeping price hikes for June shipments. Base flat-rolled products, including benchmark Hot-Rolled Coil (HRC) and Cold-Rolled Coil (CRC), saw mandated increases ranging from $15 to $38 per ton. This marks the sixth consecutive month of deliberate upward price revisions for primary exporters trying to defend their margins.
