According to Bloomberg, the UK government defended its decision to hike out-of-quota steel import tariffs from 25% to 50% and slash import quotas by 60%, effective July 1. Trade Minister Chris Bryant argued the measures are crucial to shield the ailing domestic steel industry from "artificially low prices" driven by cheap imports, especially from China, and global tariff wars. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration insists these targeted protections are vital for maintaining a level playing field. Without such interventions, the UK risks losing thousands of jobs and becoming the only G7 nation without primary steel-making capabilities, following last year's state intervention to rescue British Steel.

【SMM Steel】A major HS2 contractor warned UK's steel import tariff doubling will worsen cost pressures for the strained construction sector. The government aims to protect domestic steelmakers. But the move is expected to drive up steel costs amid an energy shock that already lifted steel and concrete prices. Rising material costs threaten the £100bn HS2 project. Mace's chair called the tariffs ill-timed and counterproductive.

The latest customs data showed that in February 2026, China’s imports of unwrought silver ingots with a purity of no less than 99.99% reached 206.76 mt, up 499% MoM and surging 5,910% YoY to a multi-year high. The rare opening of the import window drove significant changes in the supply-demand pattern of the domestic silver ingot market.

According to the latest customs data, in January 2026, China’s imports of copper-zinc alloy (brass) bars and rods were 2,050.01 mt in physical content, down 8.37% MoM and up 24.53% YoY. In February, China’s imports of copper-zinc alloy (brass) bars and rods were 1,344.87 mt in physical content, down 34.4% MoM and down 36.67% YoY, showing an overall sharp decline. Cumulative imports in January-February 2026 were 3,394.87, down 9.94% YoY cumulatively. (HS codes 74072111, 74072119, 74072190).

[SMM Daily Brief Review of Coking Coal and Coke] In terms of supply, with costs remaining high, most coke producers saw wider losses and began to push for a coke price hike, but losses remained within an acceptable range, and coke production stayed stable. On the demand side, steel trading improved somewhat, steel mills became more willing to produce, and daily average hot metal production continued to increase, further boosting rigid demand for coke. Overall, coke fundamentals shifted toward tightness, but steel mills showed only average acceptance of higher coke prices, and the coke market may remain generally stable with slight rise in the short term.

On March 25, the SMM average price of battery-grade nickel sulphate remained stable.