On April 9, 2026, the Japanese Cabinet officially approved the latest amendment to the Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Act (commonly known as the "Waste Cleansing Act"). The core of the amendment is to upgrade metal recycling operations from a notification system to a permit system, and to impose a new obligation requiring confirmation from the Minister of the Environment for scrap metal exports.

According to POSCO’s Q1 2026 earnings call, the company has introduced its third interim shareholder return policy and shifted from a free-cash-flow-based approach to a more earnings-linked framework. The new policy targets a shareholder return ratio of 35%-40% of adjusted net profit attributable to controlling interests, to be delivered through a mix of cash dividends and share buybacks or cancellations. POSCO said the change is intended to improve payout visibility while balancing growth investment and shareholder returns.

According to POSCO’s Q1 2026 earnings call, the ongoing US-Iran conflict has pushed up FX, oil, LNG, and logistics costs, creating clear pressure on steel margins. The company said that although sales volumes, production, and utilization rates recovered sequentially, raw material sourcing costs remain elevated due to disruptions linked to the Middle East situation, and this cost pressure is expected to continue into the second quarter.

Aperam will invest €10 million to remove a cold-rolling bottleneck at its Timóteo facility in Brazil, targeting a 5% capacity increase by mid-2027. The company also completed the acquisition of Magnetec on April 1, 2026 and created Aperam Magnetic Components, extending its downstream exposure into higher-value magnetic solutions for EVs, energy, and aerospace. The move shows Aperam is continuing to push its stainless and specialty materials chain further into value-added end markets.

Aperam said the improvement in first-quarter performance was driven mainly by seasonal factors and operational efficiency rather than any fundamental recovery in end-market demand. The company noted that construction demand in Europe has still not recovered, while consumer goods and automotive remain under pressure, and Brazil was in its seasonally weakest quarter. This suggests the latest earnings rebound in Europe’s stainless market remains more cyclical than structural for now.

Aperam’s shipments rose 11% quarter on quarter to 617 kilotons in Q1 2026, mainly driven by seasonal recovery in Europe. Sales increased 16% to €1.575 billion. The company also said operating income swung to a profit of €34 million from a loss of €29 million in the previous quarter, supported by better utilization and favorable valuation effects.