Freight stole the show this week. Ocean container rates jumped double digits as shippers rushed cargo ahead of a 1 July bunker-fuel adjustment, even as the underlying commodity complex stayed mixed-to-soft — copper eased back from record territory, urea extended a steep slide, polymers drifted lower in Southeast Asia, and ferrous markets held broadly steady. Below is the net move for each group, the week's biggest movers, and what to watch in the days ahead. For grades, specifications and quotations, each section links through to the relevant product catalogue page.
Week at a glance
| Group | Net move | The week in one line | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron ore & steel | Steady | Turkish export rebar held at US$590–600/t FOB; 62% Fe iron ore near US$101/t CFR; Turkish scrap eased to about US$402/t CFR | Steel Products |
| Copper | Eased | LME 3-month slipped toward US$13,600/t, pulling back from recent record highs on a late-week sell-off | Non-Ferrous |
| Aluminium & zinc | Mixed | Aluminium around US$3,400/t after an early-month correction; zinc firmer near US$3,590/t | Non-Ferrous |
| Industrial minerals | Steady | Barite, gypsum and aggregates tracking firm GCC construction and infrastructure demand | Minerals |
| Petrochemicals | Lower | Urea near US$359/t, down roughly 37% on the month; bitumen softer, methanol steady-to-firm | Petrochemicals |
| Polymers (PE/PP/PVC) | Softer | Southeast Asian resin offers eased as panic-buying faded and inventories lengthened; China held firmer | Polymers |
| Ocean freight | Sharply up | Drewry's World Container Index jumped ~12% to about US$3,969/40ft, led by Asia–Europe and Transpacific lanes | Logistics |
The week's biggest movers
Steel & iron ore
Ferrous markets were the picture of calm this week. According to the Arab Iron and Steel Union's weekly assessment, Turkish export rebar held unchanged at US$590–600 per tonne FOB, while 62% Fe Australian iron ore fines sat near US$101 per tonne CFR after a marginal dip, and imported HMS 1&2 scrap into Turkey eased to roughly US$402 per tonne CFR. The steady-to-soft raw-material backdrop keeps finished-product offers anchored — a constructive window for project buyers to lock forward tonnage. Certified grades and standards are detailed on our Steel Products and Semi-Finished Steel pages, part of our Industrial Products & Commodities sector.
Copper & non-ferrous
Base metals lost a little of their shine. Copper slipped toward US$13,600 per tonne on the LME three-month, pulling back modestly from the record territory it had tested earlier in the month after a late-week sell-off across the complex — though the structural deficit story driving electrification and AI-infrastructure demand remains intact. Aluminium steadied around US$3,400 per tonne following its early-June correction, while zinc firmed to near US$3,590 per tonne. Buyers of cathodes, billets, ingots and wire rod should keep budgeting for elevated, range-bound pricing; specifications are on our Non-Ferrous Metals catalogue.
Industrial minerals
Industrial minerals — barite, bentonite, gypsum, aggregates and cement clinker — held steady through the week, underpinned by resilient construction and infrastructure activity across the GCC and wider region. Supply remained 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 stayed soft. Urea sat near US$359 per tonne and is down roughly 37% over the past month, extending one of the sharpest corrections in the complex and opening a clear window for contract buyers to secure cover. Bitumen drifted lower — Chinese futures near CNY 4,100 per tonne, off about 9% on the month but still above year-ago levels as Middle East supply risk lingers — while methanol held steady-to-firm on Asian export demand. Sulphur and base oils rounded out a steady picture. Available products — urea, sulphur, bitumen grades, base oils and methanol — are listed on our Petrochemicals & Chemicals page.
Plastics & polymers
Polymer markets softened at the margin in Asia. In Southeast Asia, PE, PP and PVC offers eased as the panic-buying seen earlier in the spring faded — regional supply has lengthened and converters reverted to need-to-basis purchasing to preserve working capital. PP in particular slipped while Chinese prices held firmer, opening a China–Southeast Asia arbitrage window. With supply still short of pre-disruption levels, a risk premium persists, so the easing looks tactical rather than structural — a selective replenishment window for converters. View resin and film options on our Plastics & Polymers page.
Freight & trade policy
Logistics was unambiguously the week's standout. Drewry's World Container Index jumped about 12% to roughly US$3,969 per 40ft container, with Shanghai–Rotterdam up around 15% to about US$4,342 and Shanghai–Genoa up 12% to near US$5,756. The driver: peak-season frontloading as shippers move cargo ahead of an expected 1 July bunker-fuel adjustment, giving carriers room to make surcharges stick — and Drewry expects further increases in the coming weeks. For importers, rising ocean rates feed straight into landed cost, which is exactly what our logistics and global sourcing teams plan around so delivered pricing stays predictable.
Week ahead
Watch three things. First, freight: if frontloading intensifies ahead of 1 July, container rates could extend their climb, so booking shipping windows early is prudent. Second, copper — having eased off records, it remains sensitive to any supply headline, and the late-month US tariff calendar adds two-way risk. Third, whether urea's slide finds a floor, which would mark the better entry point for forward fertiliser cover. With freight rising, base metals mixed, and fertiliser and polymers softer, a selective forward-cover approach — booking freight ahead, timing urea and resin buys to the soft trend, and locking steel cover while raw materials sit steady — looks sensible. 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: Arab Iron and Steel Union (rebar, iron ore, scrap); London Metal Exchange (copper, aluminium, zinc); Trading Economics (urea, bitumen); ChemOrbis (polymers); Drewry World Container Index. Figures are indicative market levels for the week to June 21, 2026 and are provided for general information, not as trading advice.