[SMM Steel] Tata Steel and China’s USTB to advance low-carbon steel R&D

Recently, the Steelmaking Division of Shougang Tongsteel reported a success: it overcame the challenge of upgrading slab thickness, and the revamping of the 90mm thin slab has achieved full-process rolling production. The implementation of the new process and new slab type not only tackled multiple bottlenecks in production technology, ensuring stable and controllable product quality, but also significantly shortened production cycles and improved equipment and personnel efficiency, injecting strong momentum into the company’s drive for stable, high output, cost reduction, and enhanced efficiency.

According to statistics from the Shaanxi Coal Industry Association, as of the end of May, the province's coal production totaled 318.837 million mt, up 3.8% YoY, accounting for 16.1% of the national coal production. Coal sales amounted to 285.2742 million mt, up 3.12% YoY. In May, the province had 225 mines in operation, producing 63.4498 million mt of coal and selling 62.0982 million mt. Of this, key state-owned coal enterprises—Shaanxi Coal Group, Shaanxi Investment Group, and Shendong's coal mines in Shaanxi—recorded raw coal production of 31.8664 million mt, accounting for 50.2% of the province's coal production; coal sales reached 30.9971 million mt, accounting for 49.9% of the province's coal sales.

Entering the traditional summer sales cycle of 2026, the industry's production and sales pace has not shown a significant recovery. AVC PSI monitoring data show that in July 2026, the domestic sales production schedule for air conditioners fell 15.6% YoY, and the overall production schedule fell 12.8%. Retail side, the chill in the Chinese market continues to linger. AVC estimated data show that in May 2026, total air conditioner retail sales across all channels fell 10.3% YoY, with online channels (including lower-tier markets) down 8.7% and offline channels down 12.2%.