[SMM Steel] EU HRC Holds Firm Amid Supply-Demand Deadlock as Market Eyes Indian Quota Cut and ADI Stoppage

Published: Sep 16, 2026 13:33

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[Europe] European hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel prices remained generally stable. Although ongoing regional supply constraints supported mills' firm stance on pricing, slow inventory turnover at steel service centers and weak end-user demand continued to suppress upward momentum. In Italy, trading entered a deadlock this week as downstream demand stayed lackluster and buyers showed little appetite for procurement. Notably, reports that the EU may cut steel import quotas for India are circulating in the market, with official EU documents suggesting HRC quotas could face a quarterly reduction of around 15%; if implemented, this would deal a heavy blow to importers struggling to secure overseas volumes free of tariff risks. Furthermore, market participants widely anticipate that Acciaierie d'Italia (ADI) may be forced to halt crude steel production entirely this week, further exacerbating the risk of regional supply shortages.

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