Global crude steel output rose by 2.9pc on the year in March to 166mn t, driven by higher production in China and India.
China accounted for 55.3pc of global crude steel output in the first quarter and posted a 4.6pc year-on-year increase in March alone. The rise was supported by strong export demand and improved mill profit margins, despite sluggish domestic consumption amid continued weakness in the property sector.
India's crude steel production rose by nearly 7pc on the year in the first three months of 2025 to 26mn t, bolstered by robust demand from the automotive sector. Passenger car sales rose by 2pc on the year in the first quarter to 1.2mn units.
Global output edged lower in the first quarter despite gains in China and India, as production fell in Japan, Russia, South Korea, Germany and Turkey.
Japan's output declined by 5pc on the year to 20.4mn t in January–March, pressured by weak construction and auto demand. Germany's output fell by 12.6pc on the year in the first quarter to 8.5mn t, including an 11.7pc drop in March to 3.1mn t. German steel association WV Stahl attributed the declines to soft demand and challenges posed by US tariffs, noting Germany typically exports around 1mn t/yr of steel to the US.
| Global crude steel production | mn t | |||
| Leading producers | Mar-25 | ±% Mar-24 | 1Q25 | ±% 1Q24 |
| China | 92.8 | 4.6 | 259.3 | 0.6 |
| India | 13.8 | 7.0 | 40.1 | 6.8 |
| Japan | 7.2 | 0.2 | 20.4 | -4.9 |
| US | 6.7 | -1.5 | 19.7 | -0.6 |
| Russia | 6.2* | -3.2 | 17.7 | -3.8 |
| South Korea | 5.0 | -5.3 | 15.5 | -3.6 |
| Turkey | 3.1 | -2.8 | 9.3 | -3.4 |
| Germany | 3.1* | -11.7 | 8.5 | -12.6 |
| Brazil | 2.9 | 6.6 | 8.5 | 2.8 |
| Iran | 3.3 | 3.7 | 7.3 | -12.8 |
| *Based on estimate data | ||||
| — World Steel Association | ||||
