Fastmarkets FOEX would like to thank those who took the time to respond to the consultation. Fastmarkets FOEX did not propose any changes to the methodology. The feedback was fully supportive of the current methodology. To summarize, this open consultation does not lead to material changes in the current methodology. A newly dated methodology document […]

Unprecedented rainfall in mid-April causes a slowdown in the box business across the UAE, impacting local industries and economies

This consultation, which is open until May 16, 2024, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical graphic paper market, in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions’ (IOSCO) Principles for Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs). This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication frequency. Fastmarkets FOEX […]

Prices for some containerboard produced in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries moved north once again in March. Manufacturers have been pushing prices up throughout the first quarter on the back of limited supply, following logistical difficulties owing to the Red Sea shipping crisis, and improved demand ahead of and during Ramadan. Want to know […]

Constrained international shipments contribute to higher prices Prices for locally produced containerboard continued to rise in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in February, after our indices registered increases of approximately $20 per tonne in January. In the largest market, Saudi Arabia, many contracts are inked for the quarter, and price contributors already reported increases […]

Prices for locally produced containerboard rose in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in January. In late December, the Middle East Paper Company (MEPCO) announced a price hike of $70 per tonne, starting January 1. Several other producers in the region have also demanded increases of various magnitudes from their customers. Generally, our contacts reported […]

The consumption of steel scrap in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was expected to rise sharply in the coming years amid expansions in steelmaker capacities to feed greater steel demand

The MENA region is already well equipped to produce cheap, green hydrogen because of its extensive solar resources, but the fact that its steel industry is mainly focused on the use of direct-reduced iron (DRI) modules and electric-arc furnaces puts it in a unique position in terms of producing the low-carbon steel that is becoming […]

Mixed signals from the domestic containerboard markets in the Middle Eastern Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as price drops and increases were both reported

MEPCO are a Middle Eastern packaging producer, with a production capacity of half a million tons of containerboard. We outline how they use Fastmarkets' global insights to grow their business.