Pig Iron Production Remained Stable at High Levels, Iron Ore Decline Slowed Down [SMM Imported Ore Daily Brief]

According to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), the foreign market producer price index (F-PPI) for Turkey’s basic metal manufacturing industry increased by 3.31% month-on-month in April 2026. This monthly rise contributed to a substantial 34.02% year-on-year surge compared to April 2025, while the twelve-month moving average index advanced by 34.33%. Across all industrial sectors, the overall F-PPI climbed by 2.27% month-on-month and 31.75% year-on-year. The market impact indicates that high domestic energy tariffs, fluctuating currency pressures, and persistent core inflation continue to elevate input costs for Turkish mills, forcing them to lift their export offer prices to preserve margins.

Japan's Kobe Steel has announced plans to evaluate the installation of a new, large-scale scrap melting furnace at its flagship Kakogawa Works, aimed at accelerating its low-carbon transition. This project serves as a key initiative to meet its corporate climate target of reducing carbon emissions by 38% by 2030 (compared to 2013 levels). By combining this high-capacity scrap melting technology with existing blast furnace infrastructures, the mill expects to significantly increase its utilization rate of high-grade ferrous scrap, thereby reducing dependency on virgin hot metal and pig iron inputs.

The European Parliament has officially approved a comprehensive package of new steel trade protection measures designed to shield the European steel sector from aggressive non-EU import surges. Welcomed by Eurofer and European steel producers, these updated regulations streamline the enforcement of anti-dumping duties, expand retrospective surveillance monitoring, and establish automated triggers to counter global excess capacity leakages into the single market. The policy update aims to insulate the region's domestic mills as they absorb the high financial burdens of transition capital expenditure. The market impact outlines a heavily restrictive trade environment for international steel exporters.