[Central Work Safety Assessment and Inspection Teams Dispatched to 8 Provinces for Open and Undercover Inspections]

US iron and steel scrap exports totaled 1 million tonnes in April 2026, down 27.1% month-on-month and 4.7% year-on-year, per the US International Trade Commission. Canada was the top destination at 185,406 tonnes (+187.9% MoM), followed by Mexico (144,175 tonnes), Turkey (136,066 tonnes), and Thailand (79,886 tonnes). Export value reached 480.82 million USD, down from 669.24 million USD in March and 464.46 million USD in April 2025.

[SMM HRC Daily Trading Volume] On June 15, the combined daily HRC trading volume of sample enterprises in four cities (Shanghai, Lecong, Tianjin, and Ningbo) tracked by SMM totaled 14,990 mt, up 330 mt day-on-day (+2.5%) and up 42.36% YoY (Gregorian calendar) and 35.66% YoY (lunar calendar).

Today HRC futures held up well, with the most-traded contract settling at 3,397, up 0.68%. In the spot market, spot HRC offers rose 10-20 yuan/mt in many regions, while cold galvanized prices remained largely stable, and overall transaction performance was moderate. In news, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other authorities issued a notice on launching a three-year campaign to promote energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation in key industries. Starting from 2026, focusing on nine industries including steel, aluminum, cement, flat glass, oil refining, ethylene, synthetic ammonia, methanol, and coal power, comprehensive transformation will be carried out over three years; attention will be paid to subsequent implementation and progress. Outside China, Pakistan’s prime minister said on the 15th local time that after intensive negotiations, the US and Iran had reached a peace agreement, and Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would be fully opened. On the fundamentals, HRC inventory is expected to continue destocking this week, with limited accumulation of fundamentals. Considering the overall weakening demand during the off-season, steel prices lack self-driving force. In the short term, they are expected to hold up well, following raw material prices. Attention needs to be paid to the changing Middle East situation and its impact on future export orders.