Andrew Critchlow
Head of news, EMEA 
|
February 12, 2019 09:44 UTC 
(2)
Coal is having a bad time in Europe. Germany – the world’s fourth largest economy – has said it will phase out coal-fired power generation by 2038 while in the UK, the closure of another large coal plant was announced. Despite these setbacks, the fuel of the industrial revolution still has a vital role to play powering global growth in the future. |
Diana Kinch
Editor-in-Chief, Steel Markets Daily 
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January 30, 2019 09:33 UTC
(3)
The iron ore market’s structural change last year is all to do with the environment, and led by demand patterns in China. Iron ore with a higher content of iron, Fe, allows a reduction of coal usage in the steelmaking process, lowering carbon emissions. So trade has shifted away from the standard 62% Fe-quality base – the traditional iron ore benchmark product – to a multi-tier market. This includes specialty products that may be tailor-made for specific steel mills, with premiums, penalties and spreads between product values quite the order of the day. |
Sebastian Lewis
Content Director for China
|
January 16, 2019 09:39 UTC
(4)
There have been better starts to the New Year. The December Caixin Manufacturing PMI, a survey of Chinese manufacturing activity, contracted for the first time in 17 months. Soon after, reports began to emerge that China’s growth target will be lower than that set for 2018. Apple, once the world’s most valuable company, sent shock waves across financial markets. It revised down its earnings for the end of 2018 citing an economic slowdown in China that was significantly greater than they had anticipated due to weak demand and the impact of trade tensions with the US. |
Justine Coyne
Assistant editor, steel markets
|
January 9, 2019 09:25 UTC
(4)
US President Donald Trump’s administration rocked the global steel market in 2018, with the introduction of a 25% tariff on steel imports that changed trade flows and set off a chain reaction of retaliatory tariffs and additional safeguard measure from other countries. With the tariffs still in place, 2019 is looking to be another turbulent year for steel as the US heads into fresh trade negotiations with major markets including Japan and the EU. Meanwhile, the trilateral deal with Mexico and Canada reached in 2018 still has details to be ironed out. |
Joseph Innace
Platts metals content director, Americas
|
December 28, 2018 10:15 UTC
(3)
In early December, President Donald Trump tweeted: “…I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power. We are right now taking in $billions in Tariffs. MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN” |
Paul Bartholomew
Senior Managing Editor
|
December 13, 2018 06:30 UTC
(3)
India’s steel production is expected to almost double by 2025 and M&A activity could result in a leaner industry, but headwinds remain, including tight credit lines and exposure to raw material prices. S&P Global Platts spent a week in India in November, mainly to host our Steel Markets Asia conference in Mumbai, but also to meet with companies and visit operations. There was plenty of positivity about the state of the local steel market, as well as a few notes of caution. |
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Diana Kinch
Editor-in-Chief, Steel Markets Daily
|
December 3, 2018 16:08 UTC
(2)
The Brazilian steel, metals and mining sectors expect an upturn in investments in the country in second-half 2019 following inauguration of a new government which aims to end a period of institutionalized corruption. Representatives of industry associations and the mining sector talked up the prospects of economic recovery under incoming president Jair Bolsonaro last week in Rio de Janeiro, but bumps in the road may remain, from a tricky trade relationship with China to the high cost of financing. |
Tom Balcerek
Editor-in-chief
|
October 5, 2018 04:01 UTC
(2)
Who knew trade deal bargaining chips were made of steel and aluminum? Apparently, US President Donald Trump did. Earlier this week Trump triumphantly defended his 25% global tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum as key drivers in achieving recent trade deals for the leverage they provided. |
Jamila al Ibrahim
Editor, Ferrous Scrap
|
September 21, 2018 13:30 UTC
(1)
The circular economy concept is simple in its proposition: Create a regenerative system in which the use and waste of resources are minimized by re-using and re-manufacturing materials prior to recycling. Less simple is its implementation, which requires the global economy to redesign its processes and detach itself from the old linear model of take-make-dispose. These were the topics surrounding a conference organized by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) in Brussels with a spotlight on steel, circular and clean material by nature. S&P Global Platts discussed these topics with Dr. Edwin Basson, Director General at worldsteel. |
|
Jamila al Ibrahim
Editor, Ferrous Scrap
|
September 18, 2018 11:30 UTC
(3)
On my train journey from London to Brussels for the World Steel Association Circular Economy Conference, out of the window I watched the landscape change from the English to the French and finally to the Belgian. Jarring with the natural beauty of all three countries was one shared element — the rusty, abandoned steel rails at the side of the gleaming tracks. Why not ensure a second life for this material? But what are we talking about precisely? |
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