German crude steel output fell by 11pc on the year to 3mn t in March, data from steel association WV Stahl show.
This marks the third consecutive month of double-digit declines. In the first quarter of 2025, 12.5pc less crude steel was produced than in the same period last year, WV Stahl noted.
Basic oxygen furnace and electric arc furnace production fell by 15pc and 4pc to 2mn t and 1mn t, respectively.
In Germany, orders taken in January for March production remained limited, as outlined by market participants at the start of this year.
Output from carmakers is likely to be lower this year than last year unless EU governments stimulate consumer demand, one source said in January.
Hot-rolled steel supply in the country fell by 7pc on the year to 2.8mn t.
Further south, Italian crude steel production showed some signs of strengthening on the year as it rose by 6pc to 2mn t, data from steel association Federacciai indicate.
Hot-rolled output followed suit, jumping by 14pc year on year to 900,000t.
These increases are supported by last year's weak base of comparison.
Looking ahead, Italy is likely to make more crude steel output increases on the year, given that buying accelerated during the first quarter of 2025 as buyers anticipated further import restrictions.
Moreover, ADI plans to restart another blast furnace at its Taranto site this year, reaching a production capacity of 5.4mn t/yr.
On the longs side, Italian output rose by just over one 1pc to 1.2mn t.
| Italian steel production | '000t | |||
| Product | Mar 25 | ±% Mar 24 | Jan-Mar 25 | ±% Jan-Mar 24 |
| Crude steel | 2,000 | 6.0 | 5,500 | 3.1 |
| Long steel | 1,200 | 1.2 | 3,100 | -0.9 |
| Flat steel | 904 | 13,6 | 2,500 | 9.1 |
| ― Federacciai | ||||
| German steel production | '000t | |||
| Product | Mar 25 | ±% Mar 24 | Jan-Mar 25 | ±% Jan-Mar 24 |
| Crude steel | 3,113 | -11.3 | 8,495 | -12.5 |
| Oxygen steel | 2,061 | -14.8 | 5,755 | -15.1 |
| Electrical steel | 1,052 | -3.5 | 2,740 | -6.4 |
| Hot-rolled steel | 2,787 | -7.3 | 7,638 | -10.9 |
| ― WV Stahl | ||||
