Sodium-ion battery cathode material enterprise Jiana Energy announced the completion of a Series A+ funding round of several hundred million yuan, with investors including Shenzhen Energy Storage Fund and EVE, among others. The company focuses on the polyanion (NFPP) route, with construction completed on a 10kt-level cathode production line, and its products have a cycle life exceeding 20,000 cycles. The funds from this round will be used for capacity expansion, R&D iteration, and market development.

Domestic consumption of steel products in Ukraine increased by 3.4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, driven by continuous reconstruction efforts. During this period, Ukrainian enterprises produced a total of 1.34 million tons of rolled steel, out of which 820,000 tons were directed to export markets primarily in the European Union. Approximately 521,000 tons of rolled products and semi-finished steel were absorbed by the domestic market.

[SMM Weekly Maintenance Statistics] According to SMM statistics, this week (April 11 to April 17), the hot metal impact volume resulting from blast furnace maintenance was.....

According to Thai media reports, Thailand's steel industry, under pressure from rising energy and freight costs, called on the government to strengthen support and adopt anti-dumping measures. Steel enterprises announced a 10% to 15% price raise on all products starting from April, with a possible second round of adjustments in May depending on cost changes. The price increase covered a wide range of products including rebar, wire rod, sheets & plates, and specialty steel for automotive and construction applications. Industry insiders pointed out that Thailand lacked iron ore resources, and its steel industry was highly dependent on imported steel scrap, making it extremely sensitive to international market fluctuations.

South32’s Hermosa project in Arizona has been notified of a US$166 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support development of a commercial-scale battery-grade manganese facility. The funding will support construction of a key part of the project, which aims to strengthen U.S. domestic supply of critical battery materials for EV and energy storage applications. According to the project timeline, early development and construction activities are progressing through 2025–2027, with zinc-production targeted around 2027.

War damage to Iran’s key steel mills threatens ~14 Mt of capacity, sharply reducing crude steel output and exportable supply. While domestic demand remains relatively stable, energy shortages and logistics disruptions amplify losses, tightening regional supply, supporting semi-finished steel prices, and reshaping trade flows.