[SMM Steel] Carbon Cost Advantage Buoys European Demand; Brazilian Slab Export Offers Hold Steady with Slight Adjustment

Ferrous metals fell across the board today. The most-traded HRC contract settled at 3,272, down 1.06%. In the spot market, cold-rolled and hot-rolled prices fell by 10-30 yuan/mt, with overall sluggish trading and end-users mainly holding a wait-and-see stance. In the short term, regarding HRC fundamentals, production continued to fluctuate at mid-to-low levels due to profit constraints and production restrictions in some regions, while demand was suppressed by the off-season and extreme weather, leading to a simultaneous weakening of supply and demand. Inventory is expected to enter a slow buildup cycle in July, and from a fundamental perspective, it is difficult to provide strong support or momentum for prices. In other aspects, the market has recently focused on marginal changes in export orders, the progress of iron ore long-term contract negotiations, and whether the Politburo meeting in mid-to-late July can trigger a periodic price rebound. In the short term, sheets & plates prices will continue to consolidate at lows, while attention should be paid to whether related news amplifies price volatility in stages.

POSCO and KB Kookmin Bank signed an MoU to launch a steel supply chain finance service later this year through the MyPOSCO platform. The package will include preferential corporate loans, customized financial products, import-export finance consulting and trade insurance support, aiming to lower financing costs, improve liquidity and strengthen supply chain stability.

[Vietnam] Vietnam’s import HRC price fell to USD 525/tonne CFR, with around 5,000 tonnes of Indonesian SAE1006 HRC concluded at this level. Indian offers were also near USD 525/tonne CFR, while Vietnamese bids remained at USD 515-520/tonne CFR. Weak demand and slow inventory digestion kept buying cautious.