SSAB’s operating result for the second quarter of 2020 was SEK -251 million.

The No 8 BF was temporarily idled in mid-March amid lower demand resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and related automotive production stoppages.

Trade unions in the UK suggest they will not allow the end of blast furnace steel production.

Chinese-Australian coal firm Yancoal expects to produce 38mn t of saleable coal in 2020.

Japan's iron ore imports fell further in June, as domestic steel mills maintained output cuts under pressure from lower manufacturing sector demand because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sections prices have fallen as low as £430-440/t delivered, according to buy-side sources, despite rises in scrap and iron ore.

US coking coal prices held mostly steady at the end of this week, with European demand muted for the third quarter.

According to Tianjin Customs, in the first half of this year, a total of 37.859 million tons of iron ore were imported at Tianjin port.