Press release in focus
Trump’s tariffs hit steel market hard as recession and weak demand persist into 2025
Brussels, 05 June 2025 – The high level of uncertainty and major disruptions caused by the new U.S. tariffs have dealt a severe blow to recovery expectations in the steel market for 2025. Against the backdrop of broader economic resilience driven by services, industry remains weak, weighing on steel demand and consumption. Recovery is not expected before 2026, and only if positive developments emerge in the global geoeconomic outlook. According to EUROFER’s latest Economic and Steel Market Outlook, the recession in apparent steel consumption will continue in 2025 (-0.9%) for the fourth consecutive year (-1.1% in 2024), contrary to earlier forecasts of growth (+2.2%). A similar trend is expected for steel-using sectors, with another recession in 2025 (-0.5%, after -3.7% in 2024) instead of a projected recovery (+1.6%). Steel imports remained at historically high levels (27%) throughout 2024.
