Welcome to Arian Holding's daily commodity briefing. Markets open the week with a firmer tone in ferrous — Chinese rebar is recovering off multi-month lows on better property numbers — while aluminium is nursing a sharp correction and copper holds near the top of its range. Below is a concise read on where key industrial materials are heading today, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron ore & steel | Firmer | Ore steadying near ~US$99/t; SHFE rebar rebounding off eight-month lows on property demand | Steel Products |
| Copper | Firm | LME 3-month near ~US$13,500/t on structural tightness and electrification demand | Non-Ferrous |
| Aluminium & zinc | Softer | Aluminium corrected to ~US$3,150/t (down ~10% m/m, still up y/y); zinc steady | Non-Ferrous |
| Industrial minerals | Stable | Barite, gypsum & aggregates tracking steady GCC infrastructure demand | Minerals |
| Petrochemicals | Softer | Urea eased to ~US$395/t; methanol & bitumen soft as crude stays near ~US$74/bbl | Petrochemicals |
| Polymers (PE/PP/PVC) | Sideways-soft | Flat-to-down on cautious buying and softer feedstock; selective restock rebounds | Polymers |
Steel & iron ore
Ferrous is the constructive story to start the week. Chinese steel rebar futures have rebounded from eight-month lows, with the most-active SHFE contract holding around CNY 3,070 per tonne after transactions of newly built homes across ten major Chinese cities rose roughly 19% year-on-year in early July — an encouraging demand signal, though rebar is still down about 2% over the month. Iron ore is steadying near US$99 per tonne, off about 3% on the month but supported by supply-side risk: a threatened BHP workers' strike at Port Hedland and broadened Chinese restrictions on an Australian miner are keeping a floor under the seaborne market. For project buyers, the pullback in ore combined with a firmer finished-steel bid makes this a sensible window to secure certified-grade tonnage on forward programmes. See current grades and standards on our Steel Products and Semi-Finished Steel pages, both part of our Industrial Products & Commodities sector.
Copper & non-ferrous
The non-ferrous complex has split this week. Copper remains firm, with the LME three-month contract trading near US$13,500 per tonne on persistent structural tightness, ongoing supply disruption and steady electrification and data-centre demand. Aluminium, by contrast, has corrected hard — easing to around US$3,150 per tonne, down roughly 10% over the month after an extended run, though still up more than 20% year-on-year. Zinc is broadly steady. For buyers of cathodes, billets, ingots and wire rod, the aluminium pullback is an opening to layer in cover while copper exposure is best managed selectively at elevated levels. Explore specifications on our Non-Ferrous Metals catalogue.
Industrial minerals
Industrial minerals — barite, bentonite, gypsum, aggregates and cement clinker — continue to track 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 on the softer side. Urea has eased to around US$395 per tonne, down about 5% on the day and modestly lower over the month, leaving it roughly 9% below year-ago levels. Methanol and bitumen are subdued as crude holds near US$74 per barrel and naphtha sits around US$655 per tonne, capping feedstock-driven momentum. For contract buyers, this near-term softness across urea, methanol and bitumen is a practical opportunity to secure forward cover. See available products — urea, sulphur, bitumen grades, base oils and methanol — on our Petrochemicals & Chemicals page.
Plastics & polymers
Polymer markets (PE, PP, PVC) are following a sideways-to-soft path this month rather than a broad advance. Producers report flat-to-slightly-lower offers on volume grades — polypropylene is broadly stable to a touch softer, HDPE mixed by application — as converters keep to cautious, need-to buying and softer crude eases feedstock pressure. The decline may slow where converters begin restocking for new orders, and any rebound in Brent or return of Middle East shipping risk would quickly re-inflate resin and logistics costs. 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 ferrous firming, aluminium correcting and petrochemicals soft, a selective forward-cover approach is sensible this week — locking steel and layering aluminium and petrochemical cover while staying disciplined on copper exposure. 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: Trading Economics (iron ore, steel, aluminium, urea); London Metal Exchange; Westmetall; Plastics Technology; ChemOrbis. Figures are indicative market levels around July 13, 2026 and are provided for general information, not as trading advice.