- Buyers stay on sidelines, engage in need-based purchases
- Manufacturers reduce offers amid lack of fresh order bookings
India’s induction furnace (IF) steel prices fell d-o-d across regions on 19 May 2026.
Sponge iron prices decreased by INR 150-300/t d-o-d, with the sharpest decline of INR 300/t recorded in Durgapur, where prices settled at INR 24,350/t.
Billet prices dropped by INR 100-1,000/t d-o-d across locations, with the highest decrease of INR 1,000/t recorded in Hyderabad, where prices reached INR 41,000/t.
Rebar (Fe 500) prices dropped by INR 200-1,300/t d-o-d. Prices steepest fell by INR 1,300/t in Jalna market to INR 46,400/t.
Today, buying activity remained sluggish, with participants restricted to need based buying. Lack of fresh order bookings, rising inventories in the finished steel segment remained the key factor behind the continued decline in sponge iron and billet prices, with buyers resisting bulk bookings. Mills faced inventory pressure, with inventory assessed at around 10-15 days in the finished steel segment, though this varied from region to region. Therefore, manufacturers were compelled to reduce their offers.
The conversion spread from sponge iron (PDRI) to billets for the standalone induction furnaces in the Raipur cluster was assessed at INR 14,300/t.



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