Welcome to Arian Holding's daily commodity briefing. The complex opens the week with non-ferrous metals catching attention after a late selloff trimmed the highs, while ferrous stays under seasonal pressure and polymers settle into a calmer pattern. Below is a concise read on where key industrial materials are heading, with practical takeaways for buyers. For specifications, grades and quotations, each section links through to the relevant product catalogue page.
Today at a glance
| Commodity | Direction | Read | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper & non-ferrous | Cooler | LME copper near ~US$13,700/t after a Friday-led base-metals selloff; aluminium ~US$3,535/t, zinc ~US$3,585/t | Non-Ferrous |
| Iron ore & steel | Softer | Ore futures near a two-month low (~760 CNY/t); rebar steady-to-soft (~US$590/t FOB Turkey) as the off-season bites | Steel Products |
| Industrial minerals | Stable | Barite, gypsum & aggregates tracking steady infrastructure demand | Minerals |
| Petrochemicals | Mixed | Methanol split (Middle East firmer, SE Asia softer); bitumen firm; urea around the ~US$400s/t | Petrochemicals |
| Polymers (PE/PP/PVC) | Steady | Panic-buying has faded to need-to buying; tight post-disruption supply keeps a floor | Polymers |
Copper & non-ferrous — today's focus
Non-ferrous is the talking point to start the week. After grinding higher through the spring, the base-metals complex sold off hard into the close of the first week of June, leaving aluminium, copper, nickel and tin all lower week-on-week, according to LME market commentary. Copper is now trading near US$13,700/t on the three-month contract, off its recent record area but still historically elevated on structural tightness and electrification demand. Aluminium sits around US$3,535/t and zinc near US$3,585/t. The pullback is a reminder that even a tight market can correct quickly; buyers of cathodes, billets, ingots and wire rod may find the dip a useful window to layer in cover rather than chase strength. Explore specifications on our Non-Ferrous Metals catalogue, supported by our quality-assurance process.
Steel & iron ore
Ferrous stays soft. Iron ore futures slipped to around 760 CNY/t — a near two-month low — as ample global supply met seasonally subdued Chinese demand, with the rebar market entering its traditional summer off-season. Rebar is steady-to-soft, holding near US$590/t FOB Turkey, while Chinese rebar futures have drifted toward six-week lows as mills shift some output toward higher-margin special steels. For project buyers, this remains a constructive window to lock certified-grade tonnage on forward programmes. See current grades and standards on our Steel Products and Semi-Finished Steel pages, part of our Industrial Products & Commodities sector.
Industrial minerals
Industrial minerals — barite, bentonite, gypsum, aggregates and cement clinker — are tracking steady, underpinned by infrastructure and construction activity across the GCC and wider region. Availability is reliable through our quarry and partner network, backed by lab certification and the logistics strength described in our Supply Chain & Logistics capability. Browse grades on the Industrial Minerals page, part of our Mining, Minerals & Natural Stone sector.
Petrochemicals
Petrochemical markets are mixed and increasingly regional. Methanol has split by geography: Middle East prices firmed on healthy fuel-additive and export demand alongside planned maintenance, while Southeast Asia eased on ample regional production and steady imports. Bitumen remains firm on tight exporter supply, and urea is hovering in the US$400s per tonne across key benchmarks. For contract buyers, the regional spread in methanol is an opportunity to source from the better-supplied side of the market. See available products — urea, sulphur, bitumen grades, base oils and methanol — on our Petrochemicals & Chemicals page.
Plastics & polymers
Polymer markets (PE, PP, PVC) have calmed. Across Southeast Asia, panic-buying has stopped in June as physical supply has lengthened, and converters have reverted to need-to buying to protect working capital. HDPE grades are broadly stable (film and blow around the US$1,390–1,400/t area) while PP slipped modestly. Crucially, regional supply remains well below pre-disruption levels, which keeps a floor under prices and argues against expecting a return to early-spring lows. Net: a balanced window for converters to replenish without chasing the market. View resin and film options on our Plastics & Polymers page.
What this means for buyers
With base metals correcting, ferrous soft and petrochemicals regionally split, a selective forward-cover approach is sensible this week — using the non-ferrous pullback and steel's off-season to layer in cover, while sourcing methanol from the better-supplied region. Arian Holding's global sourcing and quality-assurance teams can structure compliant, multi-grade supply across all of the above. Request a quote and our trade desk will respond with current, firm pricing for your specifications.
Sources: London Metal Exchange and LME weekly review; Trading Economics (iron ore, steel); Platts FOB Turkey rebar; ChemOrbis and Plastic4trade (polymers); ICIS / IMARC (methanol, urea, bitumen). Figures are indicative market levels around June 15, 2026 and are provided for general information, not as trading advice.