EC skips provisional HDG AD duties on Turkey, Russia

Spanish Market: Metals
26/01/22

The European Commission (EC) has decided against imposing provisional anti-dumping measures on Turkish and Russian hot-dipped galvanised (HDG) steel imports.

"Given the technical complexity of the case, the Commission has decided to continue the anti-dumping investigation and to not impose provisional measures at this stage," the EC has informed interested parties.

The EC started an investigation on 24 June 2021, and most market participants expected it to introduce provisional measures at the start of this year. But until last week, the EC was still visiting re-rollers in Turkey, which meant it was likely going to delay the introduction of measures.

The Commission is expected to decide on definitive measures by 30 May 2022 and introduce them by 23 August.

By Lora Stoyanova

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26/10/26

Japan's crude steel output falls in September

Tokyo, 26 October (Argus) — Japan's crude steel production fell on the year in September. But the decline was limited, with factors such as heavy rainfall and typhoons likely contributing to lower output. Japan's crude steel output fell by 0.6pc on the year to 6.34mn t in September, marking the first year-on-year decline in six months, data released by the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF) show. Output was down by 4.7pc from August. Pig iron production fell by 2.8pc on the year to 4.48mn t in September — also the first year-on-year decline in six months. The decline in September output may have been partly caused by natural disasters, including heavy rainfall and typhoons that affected some steelmakers over August-September, a JISF official told Argus on 25 October. It remains unclear whether these factors alone were responsible for the decline, the official added. For example, Japan's JFE Steel said on 25 September that heavy rain associated with Typhoon No.25 disrupted operations at its East Japan Works in Chiba with the the impact on production expected to be prolonged. Its crude steel production at its East Japan Works could fall by around 600,000t, it added. By furnace type, basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steel production fell by 3.2pc on the year to about 4.59mn t in September, the first year-on-year decline in six months. By contrast, electric arc furnace (EAF) output rose by 7pc on the year to about 1.76mn t in September. The increase in EAF production was mainly the result of a low base a year earlier rather than an improvement in demand conditions, the official said. EAF output fell sharply in September 2025 because several maintenance outages overlapped. Production in September this year still remained below September 2024 levels. On the demand side, investment related to artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and data centres continued to support steel demand, the official said. Demand from the automotive sector also remained firm. In the construction sector, labour shortages continue to pose challenges. But demand, which had been in a prolonged downturn, appears to have stabilised as redevelopment projects and large-scale construction work continue. Structural issues such as labour shortages remain unresolved, but demand is no longer in a phase of significant decline, the official said. "The demand environment has not changed significantly, and we expect demand to remain around current levels for the time being," the official said. Production may fluctuate from month to month, the market is not expected to experience major swings, the official added. By Fumito Nagase Japanese ferrous output ('000't) Sep '26 Aug '26 Sep '25 m-o-m ± % y-o-y ± % Crude steel production Ordinary steel 4,802 5,137 4,903 -6.5 -2.1 Specialty steel 1,539 1,527 1,472 0.8 4.6 Total crude production 6,341 6,664 6,375 -4.8 -0.5 Crude steel production method Basic oxygen furnace 4,585 5,139 4,735 -10.8 -3.2 Electric arc furnace 1,756 1,525 1,640 15.2 7.1 Pig iron production 4,483 5,074 4,612 -11.7 -2.8 *Based on preliminary data Source: Japan Iron and Steel federation Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australia's BlueScope lifts profit guidance on US steel

26/10/26

Australia's BlueScope lifts profit guidance on US steel

Sydney, 26 October (Argus) — Australian steelmaker BlueScope has upgraded its July-December earnings guidance by as much as A$240mn ($169mn), driven by a wider steel spread as iron ore costs fell and finished steel prices increased. The company has raised its underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) guidance from A$860mn-960mn to "approaching" A$1.1bn. Previous guidance was based on BlueScope's US mini-mill spread at $750/t, but the steel spread is now expected to be $810/t, the company said on 26 October. The change is primarily driven by the North American end-use market, as well as stronger than expected performance from its Australian steel products business, the company said. The company expects July-December underlying EBIT from its US business to rise by 50pc from January-June, to A$881mn from A$587mn. Meanwhile, it projects that Australia-based earnings will nearly double to around $130mn in July-December. Argus-assessed steel hot-rolled coil (HRC) ex-works US domestic prices rose by 55pc year on year to $1,298.75/short ton on 20 October. By contrast, Argus-assessed portside fines 61pc Fe (PCX) seaborne equivalent fell by 15.8pc year on year to $89.2/dry metric tonne (dmt) on 23 October. Argus-assessed hard coking coal fob Australia rose by 38pc year on year to $227/t on 23 October. The company rejected a A$15bn takeover proposal from Indiana-based Steel Dynamics and Australian conglomerate SGH in February but remains open to a higher bid. By Daniel Gage-Brown Steel HRC ex-works US domestic prices 2025-26 USD/st Iron portside fines 61pc Fe (PCX) seaborne equivalent USD/dmt Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Lula completes comeback, wins Brazil elections

26/10/26

Lula completes comeback, wins Brazil elections

Sao Paulo, 25 October (Argus) — Incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will serve as Brazil's president for another four-year term, after beating senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the presidential runoff. With nearly 100pc of votes counted, Lula led Bolsonaro with over 51.77pc of votes. Lula becomes the first in Brazil's history to win a presidential election after trailing in the first round of voting. He received 45.16pc of votes on 4 October, trailing Bolsonaro's 47pc. This will be Lula's fourth stint as Brazil's president. He first served two terms in 2003-2011. Lula's campaign focused on social media following his first-round defeat. Street demonstrations, especially in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro — Brazil's most populous cities — may have also given him a boost. The final televised debate, held on 23 October, may have also helped him swing votes. Fact-checking agencies showed him saying more truthful statements than Bolsonaro, which may have weakened his adversary's campaign. The second round of voting saw fewer absentee voters as well. Around 21pc of voters abstained in the first round, versus around 19pc in the second round. Around 3mn people additional people showed up to vote compared with the first round, and Lula obtained 10mn votes more than in the first round. Voting delays Voting booths stayed open two hours later than usual after both Lula and Bolsonaro's parties requested an extension. Lula's party claimed that problems in public transport denied voters the chance to vote. The federal police arrested Pablo Souza, the mobility secretary of Salvador — the capital of Bahia state, historically a left-leaning state — for reducing the amount of buses available on Sunday. Bolsonaro's party requested the extension in voting hours because of rains in Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul states. Flavio Bolsonaro's brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro — a former congressman who has been in the US since March 2025 and was convicted by the supreme court of coercion with the US to interfere in his father's trial — said before the elections that the candidate Bolsonaro would also head to the US if defeated in the elections. It is still unclear whether Flavio Bolsonaro will remain in Brazil or not. The candidate had yet to concede defeat as of 8:30pm ET. Backing Petrobras During his 2023-2026 term, Lula put state-controlled Petrobras at the center of his energy policy, seeking to broaden the firm's scope. He ended the company's import price parity principle — in a bid to control fuel prices — and his predecessor's policy of selling assets. He returned Petrobras to markets such as fertilizer production . He also spoke in favor of increasing oil and gas production, while also seeking to put it in the center of Brazil's energy transition. Deforestation also fell during his term , after Lula reversed policies of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro — Flavio's father, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to overturn the result of the 2022 election. Bolsonaro would have likely sought to win amnesty for his father, but that is unlikely to take place now that Lula will remain as president. Lula will also be responsible for picking four or five supreme court judges in the next four years. One seat is vacant, three others will retire by 2030 and judge Alexandre de Moraes could face impeachment pressure from the right-leaning congress. Some of Lula's main campaign promises dealt with the economy, including maintaining the current fiscal framework while preserving room for public investment, expanding infrastructure spending, advancing the government's industrial policy and mobilizing investment for transitions to cleaner energy. Adversaries heavily criticized his fiscal framework, as Brazil's debt — including the federal, state and municipal governments — reached R11.1 trillion ($2.2 trillion) in August, up from R7.2 trillion at the end of 2022. Lula also promises to continue increasing the minimum wage, expand credit access for small- and medium-sized businesses, strengthen protections for app-based gig workers and pursue a more progressive tax system in which higher-income individuals contribute a larger share of taxes. But the heavily right-wing congress will probably be a hurdle for Lula to enact many of those promises. Lula's win puts Brazil as one of the sole countries in Latin America with a left-wing federal government, after Argentina, Peru, Chile, Colombia and others have elected right-wing presidents recently. Lula's relationship with the US and President Donald Trump were rocky at times , especially because of the tariffs imposed by the US president. Lula has been especially stern with the US' interest in Brazil's critical minerals. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Kaiser cuts packaging, auto shipments outlook

23/10/26

Kaiser cuts packaging, auto shipments outlook

Houston, 23 October (Argus) — US semi-finished aluminum manufacturer Kaiser Aluminum revised lower its full-year shipments guidance for its packaging and automotive products, reflecting customers' inventory management and a major outage at its Bellwood plant near Richmond, Virginia. The Tennessee-based company now anticipates that growth in packaging sales volumes will be 5-10pc over 2025 levels, down from its prior outlook of 10-15pc, it said in its third-quarter earnings call on Thursday. For automotive shipments, Kaiser now forecasts steeper shipment declines of 5-10pc from 0-5pc previously. The reduced packaging guidance comes after the company received requests to push out shipments from customers that are looking to control year-end inventory levels amid lower aluminum prices, Kaiser said. Seasonality also prompted buyers to move "orders to the right" with fourth-quarter demand for aluminum cans usually weaker coming off the peak consumption period in the April-September timeframe. Kaiser continues to ramp up its new coating line for lid stock at its Warrick plant in Newburgh, Indiana, saying qualifications with customers are ongoing still. The company remains focused on improving the line's performance at higher run rates and improving its service to consumers. Full-year automotive sales volumes will be lower than expected because of Bellwood, which Kaiser took down in the third quarter for equipment upgrades to expand production capacity of aluminum drive shafts. Bringing those assets back on line will persist through the fourth quarter, reflecting a more challenging ramp-up after "some impacts" from the outage that were a "little outside our control", the company said. Kaiser maintained that the improvements at Bellwood will position it for growth opportunities, adding that the project was backed by long-term customer commitments. The company continued to tout its position on light truck and SUV platforms, for which demand "continues to remain resilient" in the face of headwinds in the broader automotive sector. The company maintained its 2026 shipments outlooks for its aerospace/high strength and general engineering segments, describing strong demand for its aluminum plate and extrusion products from commercial airframers, defense contractors, data center developers and semiconductor manufacturers. Third-quarter shipments in both units were up, supported by expanded production capacity at its Trentwood mill in Spokane Valley, Washington, and restocking from distributors. Kaiser's third-quarter profit decreased by nearly 23pc to $31mn from the prior-year period, primarily reflecting higher one-time benefits in 2025. Revenues increased by 44pc to $1.2bn in the same period. More prime, less scrap to end year Kaiser's decision to delay maintenance work on multiple furnaces to the second half of the year weighed on its scrap usage during the third quarter — a trend the company expects to persist through year-end. Cast house upgrades have necessitated the use of more "higher-cost forms of metal", prompting the company to assume a "lower scrap utilization" during the rest of the year. The company added that scrap buying spreads tightened during July-September following a downturn in aluminum prices in the same period, noting that it expects to operate in that type of environment in the fourth quarter. By Alex Nicoll Kaiser 3Q shipments mn lbs Segment 3Q 2026 3Q 2025 ±% 2Q 2026 ±% Aerospace/high-strength 59.4 41.8 42% 60.8 -2.3% Packaging 153 144.1 6.2% 155.8 -1.8% General Engineering 67.4 63.4 6.3% 67.7 -0.4% Automotive extrusions 20.4 23.9 -15% 21.4 -4.7% Source: Kaiser Aluminum Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Steel shortage hits Nissan's US production

23/10/26

Steel shortage hits Nissan's US production

Houston, 23 October (Argus) — Nissan is managing steel supply constraints across its US manufacturing network, with the shortage affecting production schedules beyond its Canton, Mississippi, facility, the automaker said. The company acknowledged production impacts at its Canton plant but confirmed to Argus that the impact extends across its US manufacturing operations. "We are working closely with our supplier partner and taking steps to minimize disruption to employees, dealers and customers," the company said. Nissan did not identify the supplier involved or specify the extent of production disruptions. The supply issue emerges amid an exceedingly tight US steel market, where higher prices, extended lead times and limited spot availability have constrained access to material. US hot-rolled coil (HRC) ex-works prices hit a more than four-year high this week, rising to $1,298.75/short ton (st), nearly $500/st above the prior year. Argus most recently assessed US HRC lead times at 7.8 weeks on 20 October. However, domestic steel output rose to a yearly total of 1.87mn short tons (st) in the week ended 17 October, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Mill capability utilization increased to 80.9pc from 77.8pc over the same period. By Matt Martin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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