News Update

News Update :
-China's CRC export prices on the rise
-Sheet prices in Tokyo start increasing
-Gerdau sells Colombian unit Yumbo to Sidoc
-ArcelorMittal USA raises sheet prices again
-Vale's October iron ore shipments up 2.3% y-o-y
-ThyssenKrupp delivery problems tighten EU coil market
-Turkey's stainless coil imports from S.Korea, China rise
-Turkey's Kardemir sharply raises sections and angles prices
-Khouzestan Oxin Steel becomes first API plate producer in Iran
-European silicomanganese market shows yet another pick up in price
-China's Import of Manganese Ore in October 2016 Is 1.253 Mil. Tons
-AD investigation against angle imports from Ukraine continues in Russia

Indian Government imposes 5-year antidumping duties on coke imports from China, Australia

India has imposed antidumping duties on coke imports from China and Australia, which will be effective over the next five years, according to a statement released late Friday by the country's Ministry of Finance.

Duties of $25.20/mt and $16.29/mt will be levied on imports from China and Australia, respectively, starting November 25.

The antidumping application had been filed in December by the Indian Metallurgical Coke Manufacturers Association, whose members include coke makers Saurashtra Fuels Pvt. Ltd., Gujarat NRE Coke Ltd., Carbon Edge Industries Ltd., Bhatia Coke and Energy Ltd. and Basudha Udyog Pvt. Ltd, which together account for more than half of India's merchant coke output.

But market participants stated that the duty of $25.20/mt imposed on Chinese coke imports was only a small fraction of the current price and might not boost the competitiveness of Indian alternatives.

S&P Global Platts assessed metallurgical coke 64/62% CSR at $343/mt FOB North China, and $354/mt CFR India last Friday.

Indian steelmakers were already mulling output cuts as most were exposed to soaring Australian coking coal prices in the last two quarters, sources said.

Next on the agenda for coke and steel producers will be petitioning for the scrapping of the 2.5% import duty on coking coal, an Indian coke maker said.

"It will face no opposition from anyone in the industry and should be passed quickly," the source said.

Source : Platts

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EU member states must act forcibly against dumping – says EUROFER

The European Steel Association (EUROFER) has called upon member states to achieve a breakthrough on the modernisation of the European Union’s Trade Defence Instruments (TDIs). 

EUROFER’s call for action comes ahead of meeting of trade ministers of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council. At the meeting big issues, such as TDI modernisation, Market Economy Status for China, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) are up for discussion.

Axel Eggert, director-general of EUROFER, said that EU trade policy is facing a range of challenges, not least of which are unfair trade and public reservations over TTIP and CETA. “However, we must not be naïve free traders: member states must act forcefully to shore up our defences against dumping from third countries and demonstrate the strength of their convictions that closer trade relations with market economy-driven countries – such as the USA and Canada – will contribute significantly to the prosperity of the European Union and its citizens,” he said.

Eggert said that ther was now a real opportunity to make progress on lifting the Lesser Duty Rule (LDR) and speed up the process of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases.

“Improved EU trade defence measures will send the right signal: that our partners must abide by the rules of free and fair international trade,” Eggert said,

They will also explore how to handle China’s demand to be granted MES. No decisions are expected but early indications suggest that the Slovak Presidency is working to build a framework to help advance these dossiers.

As for market economy status for China, Eggert said that China must fulfill the requirements to be considered a market economy before it can reasonably make such a cliam. “To date, China only fulfills one out of the five well-established EU criteria,” he said, adding that it does not have an economy in which the market determines prices – one of the most basic elements in determining eligibility for MES status.

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EU Imposes Fresh Anti-Dumping Tariffs on Chinese Steel

BRUSSELS—The European Union on Friday imposed anti-dumping tariffs on certain Chinese steel imports, as the bloc steps up efforts to protect European steelmakers struggling with overcapacity.

The duties range from 18.4% to 22.5% and apply to so-called rebars, steel products used to reinforce concrete.

European manufacturers in recent years have lodged multiple complaints that their Chinese competitors are exporting steel products to Europe at unfairly low prices. The EU carried out an investigation and at the end of January it imposed lower, provisional anti-dumping duties, which are now being replaced by the definitive duties.

Under World Trade Organization rules, the EU can impose anti-dumping duties on products from countries outside the bloc if an investigation demonstrates that these products enter the EU at prices below fair market value and cause injury to the EU industry.

The decision comes amid a continuing investigation into unfair trade practices by Chinese steel manufacturers, after a complaint lodged in March by European steel association Eurofer, which represents more than 25% of total EU rebar production. Eurofer on Friday said it welcomed the decision.

Currently the EU has 37 anti-dumping and antisubsidy measures in place in the steel sector, of which 15 concern China.

European industries say that the Chinese industrial policies allow local producers to pump out far more goods than its domestic market can consume. The result has been a flood of cheap products shipped to Europe, the U.S. and other developed markets.

China, the world’s largest steel producer, has doubled its exports to the EU over the past two years, while the bloc’s demand languishes below levels seen before the 2008 financial crisis. EU steel prices have fallen roughly 40% over the past two years.

News by : WSJ

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U.S. Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip Industry Encouraged by Commerce Department's Affirmative Preliminary Determination in China Subsidy Investigation

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2016 -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its preliminary determination that imports of stainless steel sheet and strip ("SSSS") from China are benefitting from unfair government subsidies.  As a result, it will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") to begin to require U.S. importers of SSSS from China to deposit estimated countervailing duties at the time of importation.  Further, based on its previously announced preliminary affirmative critical circumstances determination, the Commerce Department will instruct CBP to suspend liquidation of all entries of SSSS from China that were imported into the United States on or after the date that is 90 days prior the date of publication in the Federal Register of the affirmative preliminary countervailing duty determination, and to require U.S. importers to post security equal to the preliminary subsidy rates on those entries.

The Commerce Department's determination follows the filing, on February 12, 2016, of antidumping and countervailing duty petitions by domestic producers AK Steel Corporation (NYSE: AKS), Allegheny Ludlum, LLC d/b/a ATI Flat Rolled Products, an Allegheny Technologies company (NYSE: ATI), North American Stainless, and Outokumpu Stainless USA, LLC.

Based on information gathered to date, the Commerce Department calculated a preliminary subsidy margin of 57.30 percent of the value of the imported SSSS for Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel Co., Ltd., the sole Chinese respondent that was analyzed by the agency.  The Commerce Department assigned a preliminary subsidy margin of 193.12 percent to shipments of SSSS by all other producers and exporters in China, including Ningbo Baoxin Stainless Steel Co., Ltd. and Daming International Import Export Co., Ltd., both of which failed to participate in the Commerce Department's investigation after being selected as a mandatory respondents.  The Commerce Department investigated numerous subsidy programs based on allegations contained in the domestic industry's petition.

The next step in this trade action will be the Commerce Department's issuance of its final countervailing duty determination, which is likely to be completed on or about January 30, 2017.  In addition, the Commerce Department is currently scheduled to issue its preliminary antidumping determination on Monday, September 12, 2016.  If an affirmative preliminary antidumping determination is issued by the Commerce Department, U.S. importers will be required to post cash deposits or bonds on all future entries of SSSS from China in the amount of the subsidy and dumping margin calculated by the agency. 

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Source : PRNewswire

May 2016 crude steel production

World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the WSA (worldsteel) was 139 million tonnes (Mt) in May 2016, a -0.1% decrease compared to May 2015.

China’s crude steel production for May 2016 was 70.5 Mt, an increase of 1.8% compared to May 2015. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 8.8 Mt of crude steel in May 2016, a decrease of -0.9% compared to May 2015. India’s crude steel production was 8.0 Mt in May 2016, up by 4.9% on May 2015. South Korea’s crude steel production was 5.8 Mt in May 2016, down by -3.5% on May 2015

In the EU, Germany produced 3.9 Mt of crude steel in May 2016, an increase of 4.0% compared to May 2015. Italy produced 2.2 Mt of crude steel, up by 9.3% on May 2015. Spain produced 1.3 Mt of crude steel, down by -10.6% compared to May 2015. France produced 1.2 Mt of crude steel, down by -18.8% compared to May 2015.

Turkey’s crude steel production for May 2016 was 3.0 Mt, up by 5.4% on May 2015.

In May 2016, Russia produced 6.0 Mt of crude steel, up by 0.4% over May 2015. Ukraine produced 2.3 Mt of crude steel, up by 5.7% compared to the same month in 2015.

The United States produced 6.8 Mt of crude steel in May 2016, a decrease of -0.4% compared to May 2015.

Brazil’s crude steel production for May 2016 was 2.6 Mt, down by -13.2% on May 2015.

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries in May 2016 was 71.3%. This is 1.0 percentage point lower than May 2015. Compared to April 2016, it is 0.1 percentage point lower.

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Source: WSA

US has raised its import duties on Chinese steelmakers by more than fivefold

The US has raised its import duties on Chinese steelmakers by more than fivefold after accusing them of selling their products below market prices.

The taxes of 522% specifically apply to Chinese-made cold-rolled flat steel, which is used in car manufacturing, shipping containers and construction.

The US Commerce Department ruling comes amid heightened trade tensions between the two sides over several products, including chicken parts.

Steel is an especially sensitive issue.

US and European steel producers claim China is distorting the global market and undercutting them by dumping its excess supply abroad.

US steel makers say that the Chinese government unfairly subsidises its steel exports. Meanwhile China has been under pressure to save its steel sector, which is suffering from over-capacity issues because of slowing demand at home.

China's Ministry of Finance has not directly responded to the US ruling but on its website this morning it has said that China will maintain its tax rebate policy for steel exports as part of its efforts to help the bloated steel sector recover.

These tax rebates are seen as favourable policies to shore up ailing steel companies in China, and to avoid massive job losses. Expect more fiery rhetoric from the US on China's unfair trading practices soon.

Britain’s steel trade body and unions have called on the UK and the EU to take urgent action to stop Chinese steel dumping, after the US government increased tariffs to more than 500%.

China denies that its mills have been dumping their products in other countries, arguing that its steelmakers are more efficient.

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China's Shanxi suspends new ferroalloy, aluminum, steel project approvals

Shanxi province in northwest China has suspended the approval of new ferroalloy, aluminum and steel projects in 2016 as part of air pollution control plans, the provincial government said Wednesday.

The suspension is also aimed at reducing surplus supply in the sectors, the provincial government said in a report on its website.

Shanxi's steel and nonferrous metal sectors are high consumers of energy and water, resulting in pollution and water shortages, according to the government.

It is aiming to improve air quality and lower emissions by streamlining its industry structure.

The province also targets scrapping 33,000 outdated vehicles and banning high emission vehicles from January 1, 2017.

Shanxi was among China's 10 largest aluminum producing provinces in 2015, producing 660,257 mt of refined aluminum in the year, down 20% from 2014, data from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association showed.

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EU adopts new prior-surveillance system for steel imports to protect industry

The European Union (EU) announced on Friday that it had established a prior-surveillance system for import of steel products into the bloc in order to further protect its own steel industry.

Based on the regulation adopted on Friday, imports of steel products into the EU will now need an import license, said the EU's executive arm the European Commission in a statement.

The commission said the new mechanism was part of "a series of measures aiming to support the EU steel sector."

The EU has long claimed that importing steel products from third countries, such as China, have jeopardized its own labor market.

But Beijing warned that trade protectionism measures would do no help to tackle global steel overcapacity.

The steel industry in Europe represents 1.3 percent of EU GDP and provided around 328,000 jobs in 2015, the commission said.

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China to end subsidies on steel exports

The United States and China have reached an agreement where China will end its subsidies on steel exports, which enable them to undercut American steelmakers on price and led to more than 1,000 steelworker layoffs in Northwest Indiana last year.

China exported more than 112 million tons of steel last year, more than the United States can even produce. Chinese companies were often able to sell steel abroad at a loss because they received heavy government subsidies, such as having the Communist government pay the entire power bills for steel mills.

“Today we have signed an agreement with China to eliminate export subsidies that the United States challenged because they are prohibited under WTO rules," U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said. "This is a win for Americans employed in seven diverse sectors that run the gamut from agriculture to textiles to medical products, who will benefit from a more level playing field on which to compete."

The agreement underscores President Barack Obama's commitment to aggressively enforce trade rights to secure results for American workers, farmers, and businesses, Froman said.

The deal was announced after a two-day hearing in Washington by the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The United Steelworkers union and steelmakers gave federal officials an earful about the 13,500 steelworkers that have been laid off because of the global import crisis.

Froman said China has agreed to withdraw central government funding for exports, including steel and aluminum, to end preferential service agreements that enable companies to get free or discounted services, and to end cash grants for exports.

"The agreement is one good step forward; however, the agreement will not make the 700 million tons of excess global steel capacity, including China’s 425 million tons of excess steel, vanish into thin air," he said. "China continues to pose a real and constant threat to American workers and their families, and I will continue to work every day to fully enforce all of our trade laws and stop the influx of illegal steel imports." U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly said there was reason to be wary, given China's past track record.

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EU Commission ends ferroalloy-tariff threat on India

The panel said while some imports from India were dumped, they weren’t necessarily the cause of ‘material injury’ suffered by the EU silicomanganese industry

The European Union ended a threat to impose tariffs on a ferroalloy from India, the latest in a series of trade measures favouring steel producers in Europe.

The European Commission closed a probe into whether Indian exporters of silicomanganese — used by EU steelmakers such as ArcelorMittal and Salzgitter AG — sold it in the 28-nation bloc below cost, a practice known as dumping. The commission said that while some imports from India were dumped, they weren’t necessarily the cause of “material injury” suffered by the European silicomanganese industry.

“Hardly any undercutting was found,” the commission, the EU’s executive arm in Brussels, said on Thursday in the Official Journal. “A causal link between the dumped imports and the injurious situation of the union industry could not be established.”

Indian exporters including Modern India Con-Cast Ltd. and Indsil Hydro Power and Manganese Ltd. have a combined 23% to 30% of the EU silicomanganese market, said the commission. The other major foreign suppliers of silicomanganese to the EU are Norway, Ukraine and South Africa, according to the commission.

Chinese steel

The decision against imposing anti-dumping duties on silicomanganese from India follows EU efforts to curb competition for European steel manufacturers by introducing or threatening to introduce more anti-dumping levies on steel from China. Overcapacity at Chinese mills, which account for about half of global steel production, has left European competitors clamoring for extra EU trade protection.

The probe covering silicomanganese from India was opened in December 2014 and stemmed from a dumping complaint by an association called Euroalliages on behalf of three EU silicomanganese manufacturers. In such investigations, the commission has nine months to decide whether to introduce provisional anti-dumping duties and 15 months to decide on any “definitive” five-year levies. In this case, no provisional measures were introduced.

Mr. Vinay Dalmia, representing Indian exporter of Ferroalloys thanks EU Commission for the patience hearing and arriving at the right decision in the interest of the Industries. Mr. Dalmia further mentioned that it was a great experience to deal with the Investigation team during their visit to India.

UK exposed to steel deluge as US clamps down on Chinese imports

The UK’s embattled steel sector faces fresh pressure after the US government stepped in to protect its domestic industry against the growing glut of cheap Chinese supply, industry groups have warned.

UK steel producers have been dealt a double blow by the US plans to impose crippling import duties of up to 266pc against Chinese companies, and around 30pc against UK steel makers. This could result in more Chinese exports being diverted to Europe while making it more expensive for UK firms to sell their wares in the US.

The UK steel industry’s largest trade union Community said: “We are drowning in this flood of Chinese imports and the US action will only serve to divert more Chinese steel towards Europe.

“Unless the Secretary of State [for Business, Innovation and Skills, Sajid Javid] is prepared to join others in Europe and stand up for our industry soon, the debate will be over as we will have no industry left to save.”

Union boss Roy Rickhuss said the “enormous” US tariffs reflect the true cost of unfairly traded steel imports in contrast with the “measly” 16pc tariff imposed by Brussels in a bid to level the playing field for European producers.

“This enormous difference demonstrates that the global market is not free or fair,” Mr Rickhuss said.

Industry group UK Steel branded European efforts to date "inadequate" to tackle the growing pressure on steel mills. 

UK Steel director Gareth Stace said: “The US is showing the way in which to deal with under-priced, unfairly traded and state supported imports from China. It is acting decisively, swiftly and at a level that stops China dumping steel with impunity. By contrast, the meek and mild response in the EU is looking increasingly inadequate.

It begs the question why the UK Government continues to block EU-level attempts to impose higher tariffs. Warm words and limited incremental action are not enough given the crisis conditions faced by steel makers across Europe today,” he added.

The latest rules are designed to defend the US domestic market against cheap steel imports from firms in Brazil, India, South Korea, Russia, Japan and the UK, which will all now face steeper charges for sending cold-rolled steel to America. But the steepest margins levies will be levelled against state-subsidised Chinese steel producers.

By contrast the EU has been slow to react to the threat of rising global supply despite growing calls for protection as steel mills are forced to slash jobs and face an increasingly uncertain future.

Tata Steel’s former European boss Karl Koehler has blasted European Commission’s efforts to fight the unfair competition from heavily-subsidised Russian and Chinese steel as “slow and half-hearted”.

Under the new US plans, Tata Steel will face a 31.39pc duty on exports to the country while fellow UK steel producer Caparo Precision Strip has been given a dumping margin of 12.62pc. All other UK producers will face a levy of 28.05pc.

Peter Brennan, European editor at steel industry data provider Platts, said Europe is increasingly vulnerable to global market pressures by lagging behind the US moves to protect producers.

“The US is one of the more aggressive when it comes to protectionist measures. As a relatively isolated market they can keep out imports in a way that European countries can’t.

"As a result Europe is certainly more susceptible to imports, if only because it takes twice as long for 28 nations to agree a stance as it takes the US to make a single decision."

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News By : Jillian Ambrose, 
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U.S. Imposes 266% Duty on Imports of Steel From China

Producers in China and six other countries sold cold-rolled steel at unfairly low prices in the U.S. market and will be taxed as much as 266 percent on the price, the Commerce Department said in a preliminary decision on Tuesday.

The government imposed tariffs of 266 percent on imports from China, with goods from Brazil, India, South Korea, Russia, Japan and the U.K. also subject to duties. Shipments from Brazil will face 39 percent penalties, and South Korean producers will face taxes of as much as 6.9 percent.

This is the second time since December that the U.S. government has penalized foreign steel producers, including Chinese mills, for selling the metal in the U.S. at unfairly low prices, or dumping. Domestic producers including Nucor Corp. and U.S. Steel Corp. began filing trade cases accusing some global competitors of unfair subsidies and other illegal trade practices in June.

U.S. producers have filed cases accusing foreign steelmakers of dumping and subsidizing four varieties of steel products. In December, the government found that China, India, Italy and South Korea had dumped corrosion-resistant steel in the U.S. and levied taxes of 256 percent on imports from China. Other duties ranged from 3 percent to 9 percent.

The duties may not satisfy domestic producers, said Caitlin Webber, a Washington-based analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

“The dumping rates for South Korea, the second-largest source of these products, were far below what the U.S. industry alleged,” Webber said in an interview. “Apart from the prohibitive Chinese rates, this is the second disappointing dumping finding for the U.S. industry and doesn’t bode well for the industry’s third and final case this year.”

Regulators had previously determined that hot-rolled, cold-rolled and corrosion-resistant steel from China and other trading partners has been unlawfully subsidized.

Imports of cold-rolled steel fell by 9.4 percent in 2015 to 2.43 million tons, according to data compiled by Bloomberg from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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China plans to cut 1.8 million coal and steel jobs

China's workers are starting to feel the pain of the global commodities bust.

The Chinese government said Monday it was planning to shed 1.8 million coal and steel jobs in an effort to reduce excess capacity.

Some 1.3 million jobs will be lost in the coal sector, and 500,000 in the steel industry.

"Although this is a very difficult task, in every respect, it is something that we must actively work to accomplish," said Yin Weimin, China's top human resources and social security official. Yin did not say when the jobs would go.

The cuts represent about 20% and 11% of China's coal and steel jobs, respectively, according to IHS Insight.

China's slowdown has triggered a rout in global commodities. For years, China pumped up its economy by building infrastructure and factories, fueling huge demand for coal and steel.

But the world's second-largest economy is now posting its weakest growth in 25 years, prompting those industries to cut back on investment and jobs around the globe. Now, the layoffs are also hitting China.

Chinese companies have been accused of selling unwanted steel on world markets for less than it costs to produce and export, suffocating local rivals. A month ago, Europe slapped anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese steel imports in an attempt to save thousands of jobs.

In addition to tackling overcapacity, China's announcement could represent a small step towards reforming its large state-owned companies, which are notorious for inefficiency and wasteful spending.

The government in Beijing has described these companies as "zombies" and made cleaning them up one of its priorities -- but so far little obvious action has been taken.

It has to tread carefully, however, given a growing number of incidents of labor unrest in recent years.

"More aggressive layoffs or more generous compensation would require additional funding," said IHS Insight China economist Brian Jackson.

In a move that could ease the pain of the steel and coal cuts, the Chinese government has earmarked 100 billion yuan ($15.3 billion) over the next two years for unemployment relief, offering training and job placement services.

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News : CNNMoney

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White House announces executive actions to try to prevent steel dumping

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration announced new executive actions Thursday aimed at thwarting illegal foreign steel dumping into the market, which workers on the Iron Range and Minnesota politicians blame for the slowdown in the mining industry there.

The executive actions include adding more inspectors of steel imports at ports of entry and bringing on more staffers to enforce trade laws. The White House also said they will add personnel to the Commerce Department to help ensure tariffs are enforced against those who dump steel in the U.S.

The executive actions come after a visit in December from President Obama's chief of staff Denis McDonough to the Iron Range to hear from some of the 2,000 people who have been laid off in the past year.

Minnesota's politicians, including Gov. Mark Dayton, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and Rep. Rick Nolan, have urged the executive branch to do more. Obama told Dayton earlier this week in a meeting at the White House that he's been more aggressive than other administrations in cracking down on steel dumping.

"These steps are urgently needed to prevent further damage to the lives and livelihoods of great people on the Iron Range," Dayton said in a statement.

Klobuchar said the next step is for Congress to pass bills to strengthen America’s trade enforcement capabilities and “ensure laid-off workers affected by steel dumping receive the support they deserve.”


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China says Chinese steelmakers not engaged in dumping surplus goods

The European Union has launched new probes into imports of Chinese steel, warning that it wouldn't allow 'unfair competition' to threaten Europe's industry already crumbling under a flood of cheap imports. CCTV's reporter has talked to government officials and industry experts in Beijing on the issue. 

The iron and steel industry has become the main area where China-Europe trade friction occurs. 

China's Ministry of Commerce says Chinese steel makers are not engaged in any form of dumping of surplus goods into the European Union.

"Low preliminary tariffs are not evidence of dumping by China. Overcapacity is a worldwide industry problem," 

"The Chinese government and enterprises made efforts to restructure the steel industry and reduce excess capacity and these made headway," said Shen Danyang, spokesman Ministry of Commerce.

The EU market accounts for less than eight percent of China's iron and steel export market. Experts say China hopes to deal with the overcapacity together with the EU, and protectionism will only exacerbate the situation."

For Xu Xiangchun who's worked for the China Iron and Steel Association for over ten years, blaming China for the slumping iron and steel market in Europe is unfair.

Xu now works for one of China's biggest steel e-Commerce sector companies... and as one of his tasks is to deal with up-to-date steel prices everyday, he thinks the EU is not a main market of China's iron and steel export industry.

According to the Association, Asia accounts for over 70 percent of China's main export market in this industry while the EU is less than eight percent.

"The selling prices of China's steel products in the EU market is about twenty percent higher than China's domestic prices. So it's unfair to say that China's is selling below the cost of production," said Xu Xiangchun, Chief Analyst of Mysteel.com.

In recent years, the EU has frequently imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures against iron and steel imports from China and other exporters.

Chinese steel exports have been the subject of 37 investigations worldwide in 2015, and that equalled the probes over the previous two years.

"These anti-dumping investigation measures have produced few results in bringing down the import volume. This has shown the problem lies not in imports but in the iron and steel industry in Europe itself," said Xu.

China has seen a wave of shut downs last year in small- and medium-sized iron and steel smelters. However, State-owned enterprises really have the say in the total output.

The central government has called on them to replace outdated capacity with advanced technologies. But it will take time for these measures to have an impact.

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U.S. says ferroalloy imports from Australia sold at 12.03 pct dumping margin

The U.S. Commerce Department said on Tuesday an Australian company once owned by the world's biggest miner BHP Billiton Ltd sold silicomanganese in the United States at a dumping margin of 12.03 percent, and a final decision on imposing duties on the imports would be made on March 28.

West Virginia-based Felman Production LLC has said large and increasing volumes of silicomanganese, an alloy additive used to make steel, from Tasmanian Electro Metallurgical Co (TEMCO) have "significantly undercut" U.S. prices.

BHP spun off the plant into a separate company, called South32, to shareholders in May.

The Commerce Department in September said it planned to impose preliminary duties of 11.93 percent on the goods.

In a statement on Tuesday, it said it had determined the dumping margin to be 12.03 percent. The U.S. International Trade Commission will make its final decision on March 28, it said.

The value of silicomanganese imports from Australia in 2014 was estimated at $76.9 million, it added.

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News : Reuters

EU hits Chinese steel with duties as industry demands action

The European Commission was asked to help Europe’s steel industry, which is suffering from falling prices and cheap imports from China and Russia

Brussels: European Union regulators opened three anti-dumping investigations into Chinese steel products on Friday and imposed new duties on imports, following calls for action from industry that says thousands of jobs are at stake.

Britain, France and Germany are among the countries to have asked the European Commission to help Europe’s steel industry, which is suffering from falling prices and cheap imports from China and Russia.

On Friday, the European Commission announced investigations into whether seamless pipes, heavy plates and hot-rolled flat steel are sold into Europe at unfairly low prices. The EU already has nine ongoing investigations and nearly 40 trade defence measures in place on steel imports.

It also announced provisional anti-dumping duties on cold-rolled flat steel from China and Russia. The duties range from 13.8% to 16% for the Chinese companies and from 19.8% to 26.2% for the Russian ones.

“We cannot allow unfair competition from artificially cheap imports to threaten our industry,” EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement. “I am determined to use all means possible to ensure that our trading partners play by the rules.”

The EU can impose duties on imports if it finds they are sold at below fair market prices and damage European producers.

EU steelmakers pin much of the blame on China, which produces half of the world’s 1.6 billion tonnes of steel, for the bankruptcies and capacity closures that have gathered pace.

European steel association Eurofer said the new duties on cold-rolled flat steel reflect the full dumping margin for Russia, but those for China could be too low to the imports.

“The EU must therefore urgently remove the lesser-duty rule to effectively address the Chinese steel trade distortion as the root cause of the EU steel crises,” Eurofer Director General Axel Eggert said.

Europe has lost 85,000 steel jobs since 2008, more than 20% of the workforce, Eurofer says.

Britain’s largest steelmaker Tata Steel said last month it would cut 1,050 British jobs, adding to 4,000 job losses in the British steel industry last October.

Steel workers are expected to march through Brussels on Monday, calling for protection from China, as Commissioners, EU ministers and representatives of industry attend a day of talks on trade and competitiveness.

China’s ministry of commerce has said any dumping claims should be put to the World Trade Organization.

In addition, the Commission on Friday announced the extension of duties to prevent imports of dumped and subsidised Chinese solar panel components via Taiwan and Malaysia.

An investigation concluded Chinese-made solar modules and cells were trans-shipped via Taiwan and Malaysia and to prevent the practice continuing, existing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties were being extended to those two countries, just for Chinese solar products.

Industry body Solar PowerEurope said it supported moves to stop companies breaking the law through trans-shipment, but called for duties to be lifted as the rate of solar installations in Europe has slowed.

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China says EU should take steel dumping claims to WTO

#China's Ministry of Commerce said that claims it was #dumping #steel in Europe should be put to the World Trade Organization (WTO), responding to reports that the European Commission (EC) was preparing to impose duties on imported Chinese steel.

#WTO members should fulfill their treaty obligations and stop using "surrogate countries" to pursue anti-dumping claims, a Ministry of Commerce spokesman said, according to a statement released on the ministry's website on Saturday.

The EC is set to impose provisional duties later this month of up to 16 percent on China, and of up to 26 percent on Russia, following its investigation into alleged dumping by the two countries.

Reuters reported that provisional measures are due to be announced by Feb. 14 and definitive duties, if imposed at the conclusion of the investigation, by Aug. 12. Such duties would typically apply for five years.

The Commission's investigation follows a complaint from Eurofer, the European steel association, which said Russia and China were dumping the steel - selling it below market prices at home or below the cost of production - on the EU market and thereby damaging the local industry.

The global steel industry is facing over-capacity, and the Chinese government is willing to discuss "in good faith" with WTO members "to create a fair, just and predictable international market environment," the statement said.

Shared by : V Dalmia
Importer & Exporter

Source : Reuters
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EU to set dumping duties on Chinese, Russian steel imports - UPDATE 1

* Chinese duties up to 16 pct, Russia up to 26 pct

* Duties back-dated to mid-December

* Investigation due to conclude in August (Adds investigation deadlines, EU industry complaint)


BRUSSELS, Jan 28 : The European Union will impose duties on imports of cold-rolled flat steel from China and Russia while its investigation into alleged dumping by the two countries continues.

The European Commission has set provisional duties of up to 16 percent for China and of up to 26 percent for Russia, according to sources familiar with the Commission's plans.

The Commission's investigation follows a complaint from Eurofer, the European steel association, which said Russia and China were dumping the steel - selling it below market prices at home or below the cost of production - on the EU market and thereby damaging the local industry.

The provisional measures are due to be announced by Feb. 14 and definitive duties, if imposed at the conclusion of the investigation, by Aug. 12. Such duties would typically apply for five years.

The Commission previously ordered customs authorities to register imports of cold-rolled flat steel from mid-December, meaning duties would apply to imports from China and Russia from then.

Eurofer says that, since the investigation was launched in May, imports of steel - used in cars and home appliances - into the EU have increased.

It said on Wednesday that overall imports of steel surged by 29 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of last year and by 51 percent in the final three months.

Russia, China and Ukraine made up some 60 percent of total steel imports.

For cold-rolled flat steel, Eurofer has said the average dumping margin - the amount by which export prices from the two countries undercut a normal market price - is 28 percent for China and 15-20 percent for Russian producers.

Russian producers Severstal and Novolipetsk Steel said when the investigation was launched last May that they were in compliance with international trade rules and not carrying out dumping.

China said then that the surge in Chinese steel product exports was "normal and also beyond reproach", reflecting a rise of demand and the strong competitiveness of its industry. 

V Dalmia
Importer & Exporter
Minerals & Metals

Source : Reuters
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