According to data from Platts, Kallanish, the Brazil Steel Institute (IAB), the Turkish Statistical Institute, and WorldSteel, the global pig iron market in April 2026 is exhibiting mostly stable but locally upward price trends. The most notable increases are recorded in Brazil and Italy, while average quotations in the Black Sea region have also ticked upward. For the industrial market, this carries practical weight, as pig iron price dynamics directly influence export margins, semi-finished product costs, and the overall competitiveness of downstream metal goods.
Regional Price Dynamics and Trade Flows
In Brazil, the average price for pig iron in April rose from $475/t to $483/t, fueled by steady demand from the US and the EU. According to Platts estimates, quotations for material from the country's southeast remained between $470-480/t for most of the month, shifting toward $480-485/t by late April. Simultaneously, IAB reports that Brazil's pig iron production in March reached nearly 2 million tonnes, a 14% increase compared to February.
The Italian market shows an even more pronounced hike. Kallanish data suggests that the average price for Brazilian pig iron in Italy grew by approximately $40/t in April compared to the end of March, with offers exceeding $520/t CFR. This movement is largely linked to Brazilian suppliers reorienting toward Europe following the implementation of CBAM and restrictions on Russian pig iron supplies to the EU.
The situation remains illustrative for Eastern European exporters: in April, Ukrainian pig iron in Italy is quoted at around $510/t CFR, excluding CBAM payments. Meanwhile, more active sales are occurring in the US at approximately $505/t CFR Nola, where importers do not face the additional burden of CBAM. This creates divergent pricing scenarios for exporters depending on the destination market.
Impact on the Steel Market and winox.ua Solutions
Rising pig iron quotations serve as a vital signal for the entire metal supply chain, as this raw material directly affects smelting costs, mill pricing policies, and trader negotiations. For manufacturers and consumers of metal, this translates to heightened sensitivity regarding procurement decisions, especially against the backdrop of more expensive logistics and shifts in foreign trade. In such an environment, businesses require predictable supplies and a controlled pricing policy.
This is why the value of partners capable of ensuring stable conditions for rolled metal procurement is increasing for industrial companies. winox.ua works with verified suppliers and helps clients plan their purchases of stainless steel, non-ferrous metals, and industrial rolled products while accounting for market volatility. When commodity markets show an upward trend, a reliable supply channel becomes not only a commercial advantage but also a cornerstone of operational stability for production.
This is particularly relevant for the machinery, metalworking, energy, and construction sectors. Even if a company does not purchase pig iron directly, it feels the consequences of price hikes through changes in the cost of steel billets, rolled sections, and components. Therefore, market signals from Brazil, Italy, and the Black Sea basin should be factored into contract policies for the coming months.
Black Sea Region, Turkey, and the Global Context
The average pig iron price on a Black Sea FOB basis increased by $8 in April, reaching $363/t. At the same time, the strengthening of the ruble is constraining Russian pig iron exports, widening the gap between supplier expectations and acceptable levels for buyers. This creates additional uncertainty for Black Sea trade and may influence the redistribution of flows across the Mediterranean.
The Turkish market remains volatile. According to TUIK, pig iron imports to Turkey rose by 42% month-on-month in March to 240,000 tonnes, with Russia accounting for nearly the entire volume. Simultaneously, Turkey's domestic pig iron production, per WorldSteel, increased by 12.5% year-on-year in March, totaling a 17% increase for the first quarter.
In other markets, the price situation is more restrained. In China, domestic prices in April fluctuated within the $424-427/t range (including VAT), while in India, quotations for merchant pig iron stood at $398-400/t. Against this background, the global market is entering a phase where local trade factors, regulations, and logistics are increasingly more decisive for price dynamics than the overall global production balance.