[SMM Steel] Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel LLC appointed Danieli to supply equipment for a new integrated steel plant in the US focused on low-carbon automotive steel production. The project includes a 2.5 million tpy ENERGIRON® DRI plant designed for hydrogen use and carbon capture, along with two electric arc furnaces capable of producing 2.88 million tpy. Danieli will also provide slab casters, secondary metallurgy systems, and reheating furnaces compatible with natural gas and hydrogen blends to support future decarbonization targets.

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (AMKR) has announced a temporary suspension of its steel and rolled product manufacturing for at least four days, starting May 5, 2026, due to critical damage to the railway infrastructure connecting the plant to Black Sea ports. The logistics bottleneck, caused by repeated strikes on the Odesa-Chornomorsk bridge, has paralyzed the export of iron ore concentrate and finished steel, forcing the company to idle Blast Furnace No. 6. While the plant aimed for a 2026 production target of 5.3 million metric tons (mt) of iron ore concentrate and 3.8 million mt of crude steel, this disruption threatens to tighten the supply of long products in the European and North African markets.

India's crude steel production rose by 6% year-on-year in April 2026 to reach 12.1 million metric tons (Mt). Domestic finished steel consumption outpaced production growth, increasing by 8% to 11.3 million mt, driven by strong infrastructure activity. During the month, finished steel output stood at 11.6 million mt (+5.5% YoY), while imports jumped 12% to 0.6 million mt and exports fell by 15% to 0.5 million mt. The data confirms India's status as a primary driver of global steel demand, with strong domestic absorption reducing export surpluses and making the country a net importer for the period, which may support global steel prices amid tightening regional supply.

Germany's crude steel production fell by 8.6% to a historical low of 34.1 million metric tons (mt) in 2025, remaining well below the 40 million mt designed capacity threshold required for sustainable industry utilization. Consequently, domestic steel mills' scrap purchases declined by 5.3% to 12.0 million mt, forcing a shift in trade dynamics that resulted in a net scrap export surplus of 3.7 million mt, as scrap exports rose by 5.3% to 7.7 million mt while imports dropped by 9.4% to 3.9 million mt.

Turkey's crude steel production grew by 5.3% year-on-year to 9.7 million metric tons (mt) in the first quarter of 2026, supported by a 6.4% output increase in March to 3.3 million mt. Meanwhile, domestic finished steel consumption surged 8.9% year-on-year to 9.9 million mt in Q1, but the foreign trade balance weakened as steel exports dropped 6.8% to 3.5 million mt while imports climbed 2.6% to 4.3 million mt, pushing the export-to-import ratio down to 77.7%. Although Middle East supply chain shifts and reduced Chinese export aggression opened market opportunities in Europe, producers face mounting operational pressures and narrowing profit margins due to scrap prices approaching $400/mt, surging freight rates, and stringent EU import regulations.

JSW Steel delivered record production and sales in FY2024-25, but weaker steel realizations dragged down revenue and margins, creating a clear growth paradox: higher volumes but lower earnings quality. As India’s largest steelmaker, JSW’s next challenge is to turn its scale into more resilient earnings through higher VASP contribution, stronger raw material security, selective overseas improvement, technology partnerships, and decarbonization readiness.

According to SMM statistics, steel mill inventory accumulated slightly, social inventory destocking decelerated, and total construction steel inventory stood at 8.4878 million mt, down 31,800 mt WoW (-0.37%), with the destocking slope flattening.

JFE Steel commenced operations of its new electric furnace at the Chiba District of East Japan Works. The 15-billion-yen facility is designed to significantly increase scrap metal utilization in stainless steel production, replacing blast furnace molten iron. The upgrade expands JFE’s scrap melting capacity sixfold to 300,000 tons per year, which is expected to slash annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 450,000 tons. This project represents a pivotal step in JFE Steel's roadmap toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 through innovative, low-carbon manufacturing processes.

The core logic of the South American steel market is that end-user demand drives everything. Consumption demand is the starting point, filled jointly by local production and imports; imports act as a regulating valve rather than a driving force.

Italian crude steel production increased by 10.2% in March 2026 compared to February, signaling a moderate recovery in the EU's second-largest steel-producing nation. However, industry analysts at GMK Center note that despite the monthly gain, total output still faces headwinds from high energy costs and administrative friction regarding Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) reporting.