Brazilian steel slab exports more than doubled in February, led by gains in shipments to the US and EU, reflecting Brazil's advantage under the EU bloc's low-emissions policy.
Total slab exports rose to 835,327 metric tonnes (t) last month, up from 384,170t a year earlier, customs data showed.
Shipments increased to nearly all current destination markets in the Americas and Europe.
Exports to EU member states surged to 210,000t, up from 50t a year earlier. Demand for Brazilian slab in Europe rose, underpinned by the country's relatively low default emissions values under the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Production issues at European mills also supported the increase, as they turned to South American subsidiaries to cover supply gaps.
Italy was the only EU country to import Brazilian slab in February 2025, but this year trade resumed with four other member states. France ranked as the primary EU destination with 73,171t, while Brazilian mills shipped 60,647t to Spain, according to customs data.
The US remained the largest buyer of Brazilian slab, as shipments to the country rose by 54pc to 536,940t compared with 348,595t the year prior. Demand for imported slab held firm despite 50pc tariffs on steel imports, as elevated downstream steel prices continued to offset higher import costs. Tight domestic supply, with several US mills facing production constraints, has supported prices and sustained import demand, sources said.
Part of the surge in US imports in February may reflect shipments that were delayed in January, when exports to the US had virtually dried up.
Shipments to other Latin American countries also increased as the region extended safeguard measures against Asian producers. Brazil exported 19,981t to Colombia, up from zero a year before. A Brazilian steelmaker increased exports to its own rolling mill in Mexico to 46,571t from nil a year earlier.
| Brazilian slab exports | t | |||
| Country | Feb 2026 | Feb 2025 | Difference | ±% |
| US | 536,940 | 348,595 | 188,345 | 54.0 |
| France | 73,171 | 0 | 73,171 | 100.0 |
| Spain | 60,647 | 0 | 60,647 | 100.0 |
| Mexico | 46,571 | 0 | 46,571 | 100.0 |
| Poland | 40,514 | 0 | 40,514 | 100.0 |
| Germany | 28,832 | 0 | 28,832 | 100.0 |
| Peru | 20,325 | 8,954 | 11,371 | 127.0 |
| Total | 835,327 | 384,170 | 451,157 | 117.4 |
| Brazil's ministry of development, industry and foreign trade data compiled by Global Trade Tracker | ||||
