[Vietnam] Investment funds closely monitor Hoa Phat’s special rail and steel rail project

Vietnam exported nearly 7 million tonnes of steel worth around $4.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up significantly year on year, with exports to the US reaching about 913,000 tonnes worth over $581 million, while Cambodia imported more than 900,000 tonnes. However, steel imports remained higher at over 9 million tonnes valued at approximately $6.6 billion, leaving the sector with a trade deficit of around $2.1 billion. Steelmakers are expected to face increasing pressure from tariffs, trade remedies and environmental requirements, particularly the EU’s CBAM, which could accelerate investment in lower-emission production technologies.

As of the end of July, production of automotive FD outer panels on the No. 1 tandem cold rolling line at Bensteel Group POSCO had maintained stable operation for a full consecutive year, marking the official transition of high-end manufacturing capability from “bottleneck-constrained small-batch production” to a new stage of “high-quality, stable output.” While FD outer panel production doubled YoY, the product qualification rate also increased by 4.40%, fully demonstrating the lean transformation of Bensteel Group POSCO’s high-end automotive outer panel production from people-based management to system-based governance.

Dow Jones and SGX Group signed an index licensing agreement on August 13 to develop futures and swaps tracking the McCloskey Australian FOB Second-Tier HCC Index. The proposed products are intended to provide steelmakers, miners and physical traders with a more direct hedging tool for second-tier hard coking coal. They remain subject to regulatory procedures, while no formal launch date or complete contract specifications have been disclosed.