China steel sector slows growth due to coronavirus outbreak.

China is expected to see its weakened demand for steel forge a strong recovery in the second quarter as the country's infrastructure investment and production resumption gains more momentum, the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) said Wednesday.

Most cities in the three Chinese regions with the worst air quality beat their air pollution control targets from October to March, in sharp contrast with their poor performance in the previous heating supply season.

China's major coal producer Yanzhou Coal Mining Co., Ltd. said Thursday that its net profit saw a 9.6 percent rise in 2019.

Continued supply tightness of ferrous scrap and higher overseas demand for Turkish rebar has limited the immediate-term downside for Turkish imported scrap prices despite a fall in local rebar demand in Turkey this week.

Covid-19-related shutdowns of automotive plants across North America could cost US automakers at least 900,000 vehicle sales this year, reducing steel demand, according to industry estimates.

China's quick recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak has steadied iron ore prices this year, but global steel production cuts could divert 4mn-5mn t/month of iron ore to China and start to weigh on its spot markets, especially for pellet.

Japan's electricity demand has slumped after a state of emergency was declared on 7 April to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.