Steel & Iron Ore: Protectionism and Decarbonization

EU Safeguard Extension: The European Commission is finalizing plans to extend steel import safeguards beyond June 2026. Analysts expect the residual quota system to become even more restrictive, potentially doubling the over-quota tariff from 25% to 50% to shield domestic producers from cheap imports.

The Green Steel Race: Major players like SSAB and Thyssenkrupp have announced that their hydrogen-based, carbon-free steel production lines are now operating at 70% capacity. This is causing a price divergence between "Green Steel" (which carries a premium) and traditional blast-furnace steel.

Production Milestones: Tosyalı Algerie has officially set a global record for DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) production, signaling a shift in manufacturing dominance toward North Africa due to lower energy costs.