[India's crude steel output up 4.6% in August as global production declines]

Japan's JFE Steel expects its output to fall by about 600,000 tonnes after heavy rain and Typhoon No. 25 damaged facilities at its East Japan Works in the Chiba area. The company said the impact is likely to be prolonged because the typhoon caused additional damage after August downpours in Chiba. Several facilities were flooded in August; restoration has proceeded with safety first and operations resumed gradually, but blast furnaces have yet to return to normal. Typhoon No. 25 brought further flooding at some facilities there, with repairs under way. JFE said the estimated cut may change with restoration progress and it is still assessing impacts on output and earnings. Some deliveries have been delayed and the company is coordinating with customers to limit supply disruption.

Ukraine's top steelmaker, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, said on Sept 25 it cannot restart production amid surging Russian strikes. The sector has absorbed at least nine ballistic missile attacks since August, costing nearly 100 million USD, per industry body Ukrmetallurgprom. Steel was 7% of Ukraine's GDP. Strikes have damaged blast furnaces and halted pig iron output, forcing Ukraine's three largest producers to suspend operations, the worst year since 2022, when Azovstal and Illich were destroyed and 40% of national output lost. Closed Black Sea ports block trade, rail and Polish/Romanian routes lift coal freight costs 50-60%, and June EU tariffs plus CBAM curb European sales. Even with 51 nations backing Black Sea trade at the UN Sept 23, restarting output needs months and tens of millions of dollars.

The European Commission on 18 September published a draft list of non-OECD states eligible to receive certain non-hazardous waste under the EU Waste Shipment Regulation, excluding India, Malaysia and Thailand from ferrous and non-ferrous scrap imports. The Bureau of International Recycling and Recycling Europe objected, warning of severe market disruption. India's MRAI told the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that EU-to-India scrap flows could halt from 21 May 2027, calling the plan a trade barrier and resource protectionism, with CBAM pushing European steel and aluminium producers to retain scrap. India last year imported about 2.03 million tonnes of aluminium scrap, 0.47 million tonnes of copper and copper alloy, 0.21 million tonnes of lead and 0.11 million tonnes of zinc; the EU supplied 20%, 22%, 20% and 40%. Ferrous and stainless scrap imports hit 8.45 million tonnes, of which 0.79 million tonnes came from the EU.