Contract negotiations with CMRG have repeatedly proved to be a challenge for the industry’s leading players China’s state-owned iron ore importer, China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG), has advised a number of steelworks to refrain from purchasing the key Pilbara Blend ore from Rio Tinto Group. This was reported by Bloomberg. According to sources familiar with the situation, this is because contract negotiations with the Australian mining giant have reached a critical stage. China’s CMRG, established to strengthen Beijing’s influence over the pricing of key raw materials, has informed companies that negotiations have reached a critical stage and has asked them to refrain from discussing new purchases with Rio Tinto for the time being.  CMRG, a specialised state-owned purchasing agency, was established in 2022 with t...

Over the past seven months, the relevant figure has risen by 5.3% In July 2026, US steelworks shipped 8.22 million short tonnes of steel. This is 3.7% less than in June, according to a report by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Compared with July 2025, the figure rose by 5.4%. In January–July, steel shipments totalled 55.74 million short tonnes. This is 5.3% higher than in the same period last year. Over the past seven months, shipments of corrosion-resistant sheets and strips rose by 13% year-on-year, those of hot-rolled sheet by 8% year-on-year, and those of cold-rolled sheet by 0.1%. It should be noted that in July this year, the United States imported a total of 2.26 million short tonnes of steel. In particular, imports of rolled steel amounted to 1.56 million tonnes. Compared with June 2026, these figures rose by 7....

Tunisian consumption of finished steel will remain at 720,000 tonnes in 2026 There is no potential for growth in demand for steel in Tunisia due to severe budgetary constraints. There are no large-scale government programmes for housing and infrastructure construction here, as there are in neighbouring Algeria, Egypt and Morocco. There is also a lack of foreign investment. This has resulted in steel consumption remaining stable at between 670,000 and 730,000 tonnes over the last few years. Market Profile Long products account for 70–75% of finished steel sales. These are predominantly reinforcing bars and wire rod. Flat products are estimated to account for 20%. For the most part, this consists of hot-rolled coils (HRC) for the production of steel structures and steel pipes for water supply infrastructure. Tunisia has a large trade deficit. However, imports cove...

Libya’s demand for steel at the end of 2026 will be the highest it has been in the last 15 years Agreements between the opposing forces in Libya have led to a sharp rise in demand for steel in 2026. Political experts note that deep-seated differences remain between the officially recognised Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli and the Government of National Stability (GNS) in Benghazi. This highlights the fragility of the ceasefire. Hostilities could resume at any moment. In that event, steel sales would revert to previous levels. Industry summary Libyan Iron & Steel Co. (LISCO) is the sole monopolist and the flagship of the Libyan steel industry. Located in Misrata, it has its own deep-water seaport. Its nominal steel production capacity is 1.7 million tonnes per year. Actual utilisation rates in recent years have been lower due to ...