The Argus weekly domestic US HRC index was flat at $1,200/st ex-works Midwest last week. Lead times fell to 7-8 weeks from 8-9 weeks.

Weak Polish thermal coal imports early in 2021 could tighten availability of fine grades, which until recently were oversupplied in the country.

According to preliminary data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. steel imports fell 21.2%t to 22.019 million tons in 2020 from a year earlier.

The state-owned assets supervision and Administration Commission of Yunnan Province plans to transfer its 90% equity of Kunming Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. to China Baowu for free.

The first shipment of iron ore from Sierra Leone's New Tonkolili Iron Ore Project set sail for China from the country's Pepel Port on Friday.

The last increase was on 8 January, making this the fifth offer hike since mid-November last year of a total of €200/t.

Japan's coking coal imports rose in December to an eight-month high on increased shipments from Indonesia, underpinned by the strong recovery of Japan's steel industry.

Urals-based MMK sold 5pc less steel in 2020, reaching 10.8mn t, of which 4.3mn t was hot-rolled coil (HRC), down by 3.8pc on the year.