Speaking of Steel

MEPS International’s latest Speaking of Steel podcast debates revisions to the European Commission's steel import safeguard measures and the further trade defence measures that might follow. Recorded as the new rules came into force, the new episode details the changes that were implemented from April 1 and draws on MEPS’s research to consider market participants’ responses. It also considers...

The North American steel market has been reset by the blanket reintroduction of Section 232 import tariffs, the latest MEPS podcast has heard.   Reflecting on the results of research conducted among market participants in the region, before and after the March 12 implementation of the 25% import tariff, the latest Speaking of Steel podcast suggests change has come quickly.   "We’re now seeing the...

European distributors have “pushed back” on domestic mills’ stainless steel price rises as weak demand continues to squeeze their profit margins, a new MEPS podcast reveals. In this seven-minute episode from MEPS’s short ‘Market in Minutes’ podcast series steel market analyst Michelle Kirton shares insight into March’s increasingly subdued stainless steel market, which undermined mills’ attempts t...

MEPS’s latest Speaking of Steel podcast considers whether EU decarbonisation policies promise to deliver a sustainable steel industry or risk raising the cost of production to uncompetitive levels. Focused on the content of the European Commission's newly-published Clean Industrial Deal , the new podcast explores the key features of the new strategy to decarbonise EU industry by 2050. Although...

East Asia’s steel industry is hoping that China’s economic stimulus measures and United States import tariffs may boost the market after a slow post Lunar New Year restart. MEPS market analyst Chris Jackson discussed the major issues facing the region as he shared insight from the latest International Steel Review in this month’s episode of the Market in Minutes podcast. Jackson said: “The majorit...

President Donald Trump’s plan to levy 25% tariffs on all steel imports into the United States will reset the punitive rate enforced by Section 232 legislation in 2018, the Speaking of Steel podcast has heard.   An executive order signed by the President on February 10 set out plans to impose the tariff from March 12. This will effectively remove Section 232 exemptions for key trading partners Cana...

The Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contributed to a German economic slowdown that underpins the steel industry’s fears of continued weak demand in 2025.  The latest episode of MEPS International’s Speaking of Steel podcast considers the role that the two events played in weakening Europe’s largest economy. The effect of the green transition on Germany’s steel industry and flags...

Improving steel demand and reduced imports present upside risks to United States price forecasts recently downgraded as a result of a “higher for longer” outlook for interest rates.  MEPS International’s US steel market analyst Laura Hodges explored the various factors at play as she shared an overview of an eventful start to 2025 for the US steel market in the latest Market in Minutes podcast epi...

The latest episode from MEPS International’s Speaking of Steel podcast series explores the latest developments in Nippon Steel’s USD15 billion bid to acquire US Steel. MEPS’s US steel market analyst Laura Hodges joined managing editor Tom Sharpe to discuss President Joe Biden’s recent blocking of the deal and the fallout that followed. The President’s ruling, on national security grounds, followed...

MEPS’s new ‘Market in Minutes’ podcast focuses on a Southern Europe steel sector where business models are changing amid the continued market slowdown. Market analyst Benedicte Mikolajczak describes a steel supply chain that is “suffering the effects of an automotive sector slowdown” in the short-form episode, which is part of MEPS’s wider Speaking of Steel podcast series. Mikolajczak summarised s...

MEPS International reveals the top steel market trends of 2024 and shares its outlook for 2025 in the December episode of its Speaking of Steel podcast series. Market analysts have been analysing this year’s trends to compile 2024 global steel market summaries and five-year forecasts for the steel price and market insight provider’s annual Steel Price Outlook report. Ahead of the report’s December...

The latest episode of the Speaking of Steel podcast’s Market in Minutes insight series sheds light on the influence of raw material costs on global steel prices. Following on from this week’s release of the  Speaking of Steel US Election Special , MEPS International market analyst Ewan Gilfillan also summarises the key trends influencing the price of iron ore, coking coal and scrap.  Gilfillan als...

This US Election Special episode of MEPS’s Speaking of Steel podcast series delivers insight into the effect of Donald Trump’s re-election on the United States’ steel market. Considering how the 47th US President’s policies might influence steel supply, demand and prices in the near- and medium-term are MEPS’s US steel market consultant Laura Hodges and steel market analysts Jon Carruthers-Green,...

There are “reasons for optimism” for an upturn in United Kingdom’s steel industry, according to a new Speaking of Steel podcast episode reflecting on insight from the UK Metals Expo 2024. Interviews with UK steel market participants – including Tata Steel UK chief executive Rajesh Nair’s comments on the steelmaker’s EAF plan for Port Talbot – feature in the latest episode of MEPS’s monthly ‘on dem...

MEPS International US steel market consultant Laura Hodges told the latest episode of the Market in Minutes podcast that the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cut and mill maintenance outages should mitigate the downward pressure on US steel prices. Drawing on research featured in MEPS’s International Steel Review, Hodges presents a 12-minute overview of the factors influencing the United Sta...

MEPS's head of price analysis and forecasts Kaye Ayub recently hosted the Stainless Steel Market: Exploring Trends and Price Dynamics debate at the UK Metals Expo 2024. Sharing their views on the 'hot topics' affecting the UK and global stainless steel markets were: Rodney Rice, director, Langley Alloys; Alison Taylor, head of sales (bar), Marcegaglia UK; Lauro Catelo, trader, Trasteel...

The UK government should revise its plans for EU-style emissions border regulations to avoid a six-month gap in its steel import controls, a MEPS panel debate at the UK Metals Expo heard. The topic was one of several carbon steel market 'hot topics' debated by panellists involved in the Carbon Steel Market: Navigating Trends and Price Dynamics debate at the Birmingham NEC event. Listen now...

MEPS International’s latest Speaking of Steel podcast explores the supply, demand and price implications for a sector seeking an understanding of the market’s “50 shades of green steel”. Steel market analysts Jonathan Carruthers-Green and Stuart Gray join MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe to explore the emergence of low-emissions steel products into global steel markets in the podcast series’ 22-min...

In an exclusive interview recorded for MEPS’s Speaking of Steel podcast series, Flapper discussed the EUR6 billion project to create the “world’s first integrated green steel site” in Boden, Sweden. And with just over 600 days left until the start of production, he revealed that excitement about the project’s completion is growing.  “It’s very energising working on a project like this,” said Flapp...

MEPS International’s Speaking of Steel podcast features insight into a recent decline in Chinese steel prices which left them at their lowest level since 2017. The ‘Market in Minutes’ section of the September episode of MEPS’s podcast series features an overview of recent price movements in China and their effect on the wider East Asian steel market. It draws on content first published in MEPS’s I...

Stainless steel market analysts Michelle Kirton joins us to roundup the last month in the US stainless market. 

EU CBAM: will complex import rules raise steel prices? MEPS International explores the roll-out of the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) so far, and the added complexity to come, in its latest Speaking of Steel podcast. Market analysts from the steel price and insight provider discuss how stringent new requirements for accurate emissions data and the phase-in of carbon costs will add...

Speaking of Steel Ep.1: EU Import Safeguard Changes In the inaugural episode of MEPS International’s new podcast, “Speaking of Steel,” the team discusses the significant amendments to the EU’s steel import safeguard measures that took effect on July 1. These changes have been described as having “changed the rules of the game, during the game.” Hosted by MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe, the episod...