[Major Economic Provinces Played a Stronger Role in "Shouldering the Burden" in Q1]

ArcelorMittal Industeel commissioned a new vertical continuous casting machine (CCM) at its Le Creusot plant in France, backed by a €52 million investment. The new facility enables the production of thin slabs, eliminating an intermediate rolling stage to increase efficiency and reduce production lead times. Initial production capacity is set at 15,000 metric tons per year, with planned expansion to 25,000 metric tons. The commissioning, active as of April 2026, is expected to reduce CO2 emissions at the site by approximately 10%.

In mid-April 2026, HyIron Green Technologies successfully completed an industrial-scale pilot test at the Oshivela project in Namibia, converting low-grade iron ore into climate-neutral direct reduced iron (DRI) using an electrically powered hydrogen kiln. The test utilized 80 tons of ore and demonstrated the viability of using renewable energy to process lower-quality material into high-purity feed. This project is a key component of Namibia's strategy to leverage its solar and wind resources to become a hub for the global green steel supply chain.

Trade data for the first quarter of 2026 shows a 31% year-on-year decline in Russian coal exports to Turkey. This reduction is attributed to increased domestic Turkish production and a shift in trade defense policies that favor imports from other European and Australian suppliers. The decline in this critical corridor highlights the shifting trade routes for metallurgical coal as international markets react to geopolitical tensions and the ongoing war, which continues to keep commodity price volatility high.