Daily Pour

Date: 10/12/2025   Issue No.: 3797/25-26

Compiled By: Aarti Ghag, Executive Officer - WR

B. Ramchandran, Chennai

IIF News

Dear all,

  

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IIF Annual Awards 2024-25

Thought of the Day

News Letter Supported By

Today's Top Raw Materials Headlines

*** India: Melting scrap prices drop by INR 400/t d-o-d in Alang

*** India: Muted demand creates persistent pressure on sentiment

*** India: Bids rise in latest pig iron auction by NMDC-Nagarnar

*** India: Ferro silicon prices hold firm w-o-w supported by Bhutan offers and active trade

*** India, Russia to deepen partnership on critical minerals

*** India: Sambhv Steel unveils major stainless steel expansion plan

*** India: Silico manganese export prices slide further on weaker market sentiments

*** India: Ferro Manganese prices strengthens w-o-w on limited supply

Raw Material News

India: Melting scrap prices drop by INR 400/t d-o-d in Alang

Ship-breaking melting scrap prices in Gujarat's Alang market dropped by INR 400/t d-o-d on 9 Dec. According to BigMint's assessment, HMS (80:20) prices stand at INR 30,800/t ($342/t) ex-yard. The decline was driven by INR 200-300/t corrections in semi-finished and finished steel prices due to weak trading activity. In addition, average demand for scrap from IF mills encouraged suppliers to lower their offers during today's session.

South Asian ship-recycling markets witness slowdown due to currency deterioration, weak steel prices

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India urged to shift to scrap steel & produce green hydrogen to reduce coal reliance
9 Dec 2025 15:38
India is taking steps to address energy security risks facing its expanding steel sector, but further action is needed as challenges increase. The country is the world’s key market for steel demand growth and is rapidly adding capacity based on blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace technology, which depends on metallurgical coal.

India currently imports about 90% of its met coal, largely from Australia, the world’s biggest exporter. However, concerns about Australia’s long-term supply reliability persist. Risks to India include declining Australian exports despite optimistic forecasts, slow development of new mines, and growing scrutiny of methane emissions from met coal operations.

Australia’s climate pledges and rising regulatory hurdles may further constrain future output. Additional risks include a lack of progress in carbon capture for steelmaking, reduced financing for new coal projects, rising mining costs in Queensland, and the potential for structural price increases. Climate impacts such as heavier rainfall and flooding also threaten supply stability. India is urged to accelerate a shift toward scrap-based electric arc furnaces and domestically produced green hydrogen to reduce dependence on imported met coal.

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India: Ferro Manganese prices strengthens w-o-w on limited supply

Ferro manganese (HC 70%, 25-150mm) domestic prices in India gained overall on 9 December, with Durgapur prices climbing INR 400/t ($5/t) to INR 72,200/t ($804/t) and Raipur prices up by INR 200/t($2/t) to INR 72,000/t ($801/t). The rise was driven by tightening supply of the 70% grade, as suppliers shifted towards 75% grade. Bulk deals recently concluded from Turkey and the UAE added to rising prices.

Industry News

Ashok Leyland Launches Compact Engine Series at EXCON 2025

Commercial vehicle manufacturer introduces CEV Stage V-compliant P15 and H4 engines for construction equipment.

Ashok Leyland has introduced two new compact engine series at EXCON 2025, targeting the construction equipment and industrial machinery sectors with enhanced performance and efficiency capabilities.

The company unveiled the P15 engine series, available in 49 HP and 55 HP variants, alongside the H4 Unipack series offering 55 HP and 74 HP options. Both engine lines meet CEV Stage V emission standards and are designed for off-highway and industrial applications.

According to Amandeep Singh, President of LCV, International Operations, Defence & Power Solutions at Ashok Leyland, the new engines aim to provide higher power output and improved fuel efficiency while maintaining operational reliability for customers.

The P15 engine is positioned for compact equipment including skid-steer loaders, mini compactors, sweepers, and forklifts. The manufacturer offers variants including a high-speed non-emission version capable of operating up to 3,300 rpm and a CNG-powered alternative.

The H4 Unipack series targets more demanding applications such as backhoe loaders, with capabilities including operation at altitudes up to 5,500 meters and reliable cold-start performance in challenging conditions.

At the exhibition, Ashok Leyland is also displaying additional power solutions including a 380 HP A6 Series engine, hydrogen and flexi-fuel H6 Series engines, a 133 HP CEV Stage V engine, an 82.5 kVA diesel generator, and exhaust after-treatment systems for emission control.

The 12th edition of EXCON is taking place from December 9-13, 2025, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre. Ashok Leyland's display is located at stalls B69 and B70 in Hall 3, Lower Level.

The launches reflect the company's focus on meeting evolving emission regulations while addressing customer requirements in the construction and industrial equipment markets.

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India's Auto Retail Shows Resilience in November Despite Post-Festive Slowdown

 Vehicle registrations grew 2.14% year-on-year as GST cuts and dealer offers sustained demand beyond festive season

India's automobile retail sector demonstrated unexpected resilience in November 2025, posting a 2.14% year-on-year growth despite typically experiencing a post-festive slowdown, according to data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).

The performance is particularly noteworthy given the high comparison base from November 2024, when Diwali and Dhanteras fell late in October, pushing many vehicle registrations into November. This year, most festive registrations were completed in October itself.

Passenger vehicles led the growth trajectory with a robust 19.71% year-on-year increase, driven by improved availability of high-demand models, strong compact SUV sales, and marriage season purchases. Commercial vehicles followed closely with 19.94% growth, while three-wheelers surged 23.67%.

The tractor segment recorded the highest growth at 56.55%, reflecting strong rural demand. However, two-wheelers saw a marginal 3.1% decline, attributed to the retail shift to October and supply constraints for preferred models.

FADA President C S Vigneshwar highlighted that GST 2.0 rate reductions coupled with manufacturer-dealer retail offers continued attracting customers to showrooms beyond the festive period. Price reductions across categories, which began in October, sustained conversion momentum through November.

Passenger vehicle inventory improved significantly to 44-46 days from 53-55 days previously, indicating healthier demand-supply dynamics.

The near-term outlook appears positive with improving rural indicators. Rabi season sowing crossed 39.3 million hectares, significantly ahead of last year, driven by robust soil moisture and better seed availability. Wheat, pulses, and oilseeds recorded sharp acreage expansion, signaling improved farm income prospects.

The India Meteorological Department's forecast of a colder-than-normal winter across northern and central plains is expected to boost mobility needs and logistics activity.

According to FADA's dealer survey, 74% of dealers expect growth over the next three months, reflecting broad-based confidence. For December specifically, 63.93% anticipate growth, while 30.36% expect flat performance.

Liquidity conditions remain stable, with 47.14% of dealers reporting neutral conditions and 44.29% reporting good liquidity. Overall sentiment is positive, with 54.29% of dealers expressing optimism.

In terms of market share, Hero MotoCorp led the two-wheeler segment with 34.80%, followed by Honda at 23.81%. Maruti Suzuki dominated passenger vehicles with 39.41% share, while Mahindra & Mahindra held 13.70%.

Electric vehicle adoption continued its gradual climb, with EVs accounting for 4.59% of two-wheeler sales, 62.49% of three-wheeler sales, and 3.77% of passenger vehicle registrations.

The industry enters 2026 with cautious optimism, supported by GST reforms, strong enquiry pipelines, and improving rural fundamentals. Expected January price increases, new model launches, and marriage season demand are anticipated to drive conversions in the coming months.

However, some moderation is expected due to model-year change dynamics and the absence of festive triggers in January-February. FADA characterizes the overall sentiment as consolidating gains while remaining watchful of supply alignment and calendar-year dynamics.

The data was collated from 1,401 out of 1,459 Regional Transport Offices across India, in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

Life Style and Management

Expert tips to prevent back pain while working from home.

The pandemic has lead people to work longer hours at home and having a poor posture can lead to back pain

Owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, a lot of people had to make an abrupt shift from the corporate setting to working from their bedrooms. While some are lucky enough to have an ergonomic work from home space, others try and make use of the less than ideal set up consisting of beds, coffee tables, couches, and dining tables. If you do this for only short periods of time, you might not need to worry, but our weeks at home are turning into months and years. If you’re one of these people, you may be noticing new aches and pains that you did not experience at the office. Working longer hours, not having a supportive chair and poor posture can all lead to back pain.

Back pain is caused by work-related stress as well as work-related physical factors. Prolonged sitting forces your spine’s natural “S” curve into a “C” curve, which puts more stress on your muscles, ligaments, discs, and tissue.

It’s important that the chair facilitates good posture – many chairs that aren’t ergonomically designed go out at too far an angle. You should be asking someone in the house to take a photo of you sitting so that you can check whether your torso and head are in a straight line.

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The chair should support your lower back, so the spine is in its natural S-shape. If not, it is recommended to add a cushion or rolled-up towel. The chair should also allow the knees and elbows to be at right angles, to minimise unnecessary muscle strain.

If the chair is too high and your feet aren’t supported, use a stable surface to prop them up. The desk should support the elbows – if that’s too high and you can’t lift the chair, try sitting on a pillow or a cushion.

Your keyboard and mouse should be about 8cm to 10cm from the edge of your desk, and the top of the monitor should be about one arm’s length away, at eye level to avoid leaning forward or back.

Regular rest breaks are critical; make sure to get out of the chair every 30 to 45 minutes – if only briefly, to move around, stretch and change position. This will shift the strain between intervertebral discs, the spine’s shock absorbers.

Standup desks are great mostly for facilitating frequent postural change without having to move away from the desk. You could use it to work standing up for 15 or 20 minutes every hour or two. It is recommended to stand up for 20 per cent to 30 per cent of the working day. Standing for extended periods of time also increases the risks of varicose veins.

Exercise has numerous physical health benefits and is also a brilliant way to strengthen muscles and protect your back, especially through a strong core workout and bodyweight exercises. Bridges, clamshells, and bird dogs are some of the exercises that one should do.

Obesity is also one of the leading causes of back pain. Keeping weight in check minimises added pressure placed on the spine and supporting joints, muscles, and tendons. Excess weight can also shift your body’s natural center of gravity and place extra weight on the spine. Ideally, staying within 10 pounds of your normal weight is good for your back.

Keep your body weight under check and avoid smoking.

Overall, correct posture is the simplest way to prevent back pain. Exercise also helps but turning your back on it can lead to serious health complications.

Jokes All the Way......

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The Institute of Indian Foundrymen