Steel News Roundup (Nov 29)

SHANGHAI, Nov 29 (SMM) - This is a roundup of news in the steel industry for last week.

China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission: Reasonable demand for real estate loans has been met

According to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, reasonable real estate loan demand has been met. At the end of October, real estate loans from banking financial institutions increased by 8.2% year-on-year, which remained stable overall. More than 90% of personal housing loans were used to support the first home, and loans to the housing leasing market increased by 61.5% year-on-year.

The People's Bank of China: It will not use real estate as a short-term means of stimulating the economy

The Bank of China released a report on the implementation of China's monetary policy for the third quarter of 2021. The report mentioned that it firmly adheres to the positioning that houses are used for living, not for speculation, and will not to use real estate as a short-term means of stimulating the economy. It will stabilise land prices, housing prices, and manage expectations; it will also maintain the continuity of real estate financial policies with prudential management system. It will increase financial support for housing leasing, cooperate with relevant departments and local governments to jointly maintain the stable and healthy development of the real estate market, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of housing consumers.

Shijiazhuang issues special requirements for air pollution emissions in key industries

According to comprehensive media news, the Shijiazhuang Municipal Government recently issued the Notice on Implementing Special Requirements for Air Pollutant Emissions in Key Industries, with focus on key industries such as steel, cement, ceramics, and organic chemicals, aiming to speed up the improvement of air quality and to resolutely defend the blue sky. The Notice requires that the air quality of the steel industry, cement industry, and ceramic industry shall follow the second level of the "Ambient Air Quality Standard" (GB3095-2012), and the limit of the particulate matter discharged from the plants shall be 150 micrograms/m3 in an unorganised manner.

Break the world record! Liugang successfully manufactured 0.85mm (thickness) hot-rolled strip

A few days ago, Guangxi Iron and Steel Hot Rolling Plant successfully manufactured the 0.85mm×1280mm steel strip, breaking the world record for the thinnest thickness of conventional hot-rolled strip with normal width. The birth of 0.85mm ultra-thin steel coils not only verifies that the 1780mm hot-rolling production lines of Guangxi Iron and Steel have reached advanced level of the industry in terms of equipment control and process operations, but also record another breakthrough in the plant’s hot-rolling technology and innovation capabilities.

National Development and Reform Commission: Thermal coal futures prices fell by 60%

In response to the sharp rise in coal prices in the early stage, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) recently stated that a series of measures to ensure supply and stabilise prices have achieved immediate results. While increasing production, ensuring supply and stabilising prices, the NDRC will promptly study price intervention measures, carry out surveys on the production costs of coal enterprises, standardize the behaviour of market entities, strengthen market expectations management, study and improve coal price formation mechanisms, and promote coal prices to return to a reasonable range. Zhu Xiaohai, deputy director of the Price Monitoring and Control Division of the Price Department of the NDRC, said that the price of coal and other energy sources has fallen sharply recently by 60%.