Steel Strip

Corus has confirmed that unused carbon credits will form part of any deal struck on the sale of its Teesside Cast Products plant; a recent report says the company had one of the highest surpluses of carbon allowances in Europe. The steel maker was among three EU companies left with the most unused carbon credits [...]

Came across this interesting article on the BBC website today
By Tim Bowler Business reporter, BBC World Service
Are the world’s iron ore mining companies putting the world recovery in jeopardy, by forcing up prices?
Iron ore is a key component in the manufacture of steel, and is used in construction and heavy [...]

Hot on the heels of the recent announcement by ArcelorMittal of possible steel production cutbacks, Bloomberg are reporting discussion of cuts in China:
Chinese steelmakers are likely to cut production in the third quarter because of “weak” demand from auto and appliance makers, according to the nation’s second- biggest mill.
Slower demand may prompt smaller makers to [...]

The latest MEPS report suggests that steel prices may have reached a peak. Despite this Northern European Mills continue to pursue price increases for the third quarter:-
Excerpt:
In Western Europe, producers are talking up period three prices but firm negotiations are only just starting. Customers believe that some of the numbers being proposed are far [...]

Despite  the European steel mills remaining bullish on third quarter prices, we are beginning to see signs that may indicate a weakening quite soon.
The price increases have never been demand driven, with the mills quoting cost increases and particularly iron ore as a driving factors.
A recent report from Platts reproduced at Yahoo finance indicates [...]

The latest MEPS article is reporting that the mills are talking up third quarter prices
MEPS - EU AVERAGE STEEL PRICE UP €55 PER TONNE BUT CLOSE TO PEAK
The mills are talking up third quarter prices for strip mill products but firm negotiations are not yet underway. Their final proposals will depend on the level that [...]

Spot prices for strip mill products are rising rapidly as stocks dwindle in the UK. Many sizes are not available and stockholders are reluctant to place orders at increased prices when domestic demand remains weak.
The mills are asking for increases in excess of £60 per tonne partly to reflect substantial increases in the price of [...]

Steel workers’ union Community has asked the Environment Agency to hold in trust the carbon credits accrued by Corus’s doomed plant in Redcar until production resumes.
Corus is mothballing its historic steel making operation in Teesside, which threatens the livelihoods of 1,600 workers in one of the country’s worst unemployment blackspots.
The closure has led to [...]

Corus, the steelmaker, was accused on Wednesday of not wanting to sell its Teesside Cast Products plant for competitive reasons.
With jobs of 1,600 at TCP on the line only hours before mothballing starts on Friday, Ray Mallon, Middlesbrough’s elected mayor, claimed a credible consortium interested in buying the plant had received no response from Corus [...]

I came across this rather enlightening article by Christopher Booker writing at the Telegraph.co.uk
The owners of Corus, Tata, have recently announced the closure of the Redcar steel plant, which will have a devastating effect on the workers and the economy of an already deprived area. Whilst the stated reason for the closure of the plant [...]