Indonesian MHP Nickel, Cobalt, and High-Grade Nickel Matte Prices Decline on July 8

The EU Parliament's ENVI committee approved by 70% a draft report extending CBAM to downstream products including cars, appliances, furniture, building materials, and agricultural machinery, with implementation targeted from 2028. With the current EU carbon price at around EUR 80/tonne — projected to reach EUR 140 by 2030 and EUR 250 by 2045 — the expansion is set to systematically raise the cost of imported everyday goods and increase compliance burdens for SMEs, with no compensation mechanism in place. ACEA criticized the plan as technically flawed and inconsistent, calling for a postponement to at least 2030. Separately, EUROFER's claim of losing 30 million tonnes of capacity and 30,000 jobs over five years has drawn scrutiny: its own data shows actual job losses of around 17,000, while the capacity decline reflects reduced crude steel production rather than installed capacity — partly because European producers substituted slab imports from Russia, China, Brazil, and Indonesia to protect downstream margins, while holding accumulated free ETS certificates worth an estimated EUR 56 billion.

Turkey's Ministry of Commerce has initiated a sunset review of anti-dumping measures on stainless steel pipes and hollow sections imported from Vietnam, following an application by domestic producers, according to the country's Official Gazette. The review will determine whether revoking existing duties would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping. Current AD duty rates range from 19.64% to 25% of CIF value depending on the exporting company. Products under review are classified under tariff codes 7306.40.20.90.00, 7306.40.80.90.00, and 7306.61.10.00.00.

According to Assofermet's monthly report, Italy's scrap market reversed course sharply in the second half of June, with new contract prices falling €20–30/mt below previous highs — a steeper decline than markets had anticipated — as weakening downstream steel demand prompted mills to sharply cut scrap purchases. Internationally, Turkey's scrap market fell US$25–30/mt in June, while Spain declined around €20/mt. In stainless scrap, LME nickel's decline and expectations of July mill production cuts triggered a downward price correction, though tight availability of rarer grades limited the drop; India absorbed significant European volumes in the second half of the month. July opens under pressure, with mills facing weak demand, high inventories, and planned shutdowns bringing purchasing activity near a standstill. In ferroalloys, manganese was the most active segment on pre-safeguard stockpiling, ferrochrome held broadly stable, and ferrosilicon eased slightly at month-end.