A “disconnect” between Central Europe’s buoyant GDP growth forecasts and the reality of economic activity means that the region’s steel demand remains modest, MEPS’s latest Market in Minutes podcast reveals.

Although the OECD forecasts that Poland will top the EU’s 2026 GDP growth ranking with an uptick of 3.4%, with Czechia’s 2% forecast also well above the eurozone average, there is little optimism among steel market participants. 

“The consensus is that there's actually a slight disconnect in terms of the headline economic news that's relayed and what they are actually seeing in their day-to-day activities,” MEPS steel market analyst Chris Jackson concluded in the latest Market in Minutes episode. 

However, Jackson told MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe that a reduced supply of many products is driving prices higher. Energy price volatility resulting from the Middle East conflict may further accelerate steelmakers’ efforts to realise elevated selling prices in the days and weeks to come, he says. 

Watch this month’s episode to learn more about developments in the Central European steel market, including: 

• CBAM’s influence on import volumes and the resulting upwards pressure on prices
• A cold rolled coil price increase as an EU antidumping investigation tightens supply
• A sharp increase in plate prices as rerollers’ cost pressures grow
• How domestic steel mills’ mixed productivity creates uncertainty
• The infrastructure projects providing modest expectations of increased demand

Southern Europe’s hot rolled coil values have risen by around EUR100 per tonne in seven months as buyers’ shifting supply options set a new price trend, MEPS’s latest Market in Minutes podcast reveals. 

Market analyst Benedicte Mikolajczak draws on research conducted for MEPS’s European Steel Review to share insight on recent developments in the Italian and Spanish steel markets. She reveals that, despite subdued demand and a slow start to 2026, CBAM-related import supply uncertainty has allowed steelmakers and distributors to push up their selling prices.

Listen now for more insight into the factors affecting steel supply, demand and the outlook for Southern Europe’s steel markets, including: 

• A potential supply imbalance as Southern Europe’s steelmakers ramp up production 
• Distributors’ growing apprehension about selling stock as prices continue rising 
• Importers’ attempts to seek out viable post-CBAM import sources 
• How the region’s construction sector is offering some demand support after its auto sector bottomed out

The 45-minute discussion explores the key factors influencing steel demand, supply and prices across Europe, the United States and Asia at the start of 2026 and considers how they will shape the year ahead. 

MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe is joined by head of price analysis and forecasts Kaye Ayub and steel market analyst Michelle Kirton for the discussion, which draws from research conducted for MEPS’s Stainless Steel Review. 

Listen now, via YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts to hear MEPS’s discussion about: 

• January’s soaring nickel values and their effect on stainless steel prices in the months ahead 
• Import purchases of which steel products have been rendered unviable by the EU’s emissions-based CBAM import taxes, and which remain attractive despite the added costs 
• How increased trade restrictions are reshaping steel supply chains and threatening business models 
• Whether improved demand and tighter supply might bring improved profits for steel suppliers in 2026

CBAM was described as “the opportunity EU steel mills have been crying out for” as MEPS panellists discussed the added cost of newly introduced emissions-based import taxes in the latest Speaking of Steel podcast.

The European Commission’s December publication of the EU emissions benchmarks and country-specific default emissions values that are central to the calculation of CBAM taxes should have provided clarity to steel market participants. Instead, its 1,600 pages of documents left many in a continued state of uncertainty.

In the latest instalment of the Speaking of Steel podcast, MEPS’s head of price analysis and forecasts, Kaye Ayub, joins steel market analyst Jon Carruthers-Green and managing editor Tom Sharpe to discuss the repercussions of CBAM import taxes implemented from January 1.

The “counting the cost of carbon” episode of Speaking of Steel reveals:

• The cost of CBAM taxes on the EU’s most imported steel products.
• How high country-specific default emissions values have prompted mills’ race to verify their actual carbon output.
• The EU’s evolving carbon market: how CBAM costs will be influenced by the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
• Details of the CBAM methodology and how it might evolve.
• The European Commission’s role as a pioneer of emissions-based import taxes, and whether others might be encouraged to follow its lead.

Panellists on MEPS’s latest Speaking of Steel podcast have described how 2025’s top steel industry trends created a trading climate “defined by uncertainty” for many steel buyers. 

MEPS’s head of price analysis and forecasts Kaye Ayub, head of research Stuart Gray and steel market analyst Jon Carruthers-Green join managing editor Tom Sharpe for the 45-minute long 2025 steel market review episode, which also reflects on the outlook for 2026. 

Among the themes explored in the episode are:  

• The continued growth of steelmaking overcapacity and the surge in global trade protection measures
• The key drivers of an economic slowdown in China and Europe and their influence on steel prices 
• International trade uncertainty triggered by President Trump’s Section 232 tariffs and the EU’s emissions-based CBAM taxes 
• The outlook for 2026 and the potential risks that could stall any steel market recovery 

Supply constraints resulting from the United States’ Section 232 import tariffs are providing support for long steel product prices, MEPS’s latest Market in Minutes podcast reveals.

US steel market analyst Laura Hodges joins managing editor Tom Sharpe in this 15-minute episode of Market in Minutes, which is part of MEPS’s Speaking of Steel podcast series.

Listen now via Spotify, YouTube and Apple Podcasts for MEPS's US steel market insight, including:

• Supply trends, dictated by reduced imports and US producers’ autumn outages.
• The US steel sector’s hopes of improved demand from construction and automotive
• How the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts might boost the steel price outlook for 2026

Steel market analyst Jon Carruthers-Green sets out the key features of the new proposals in the 20-minute episode offering insight into how the new trade defence mechanism is likely affect steel supply, demand and prices.

In conversation with MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe, Carruthers-Green also:

• Discusses the likely changes to the EU's tariff-rate quotas, detailing potential winners and losers.
• Reflects on speculation about the measures’ possible implementation date.
• Considers likelihood that key EU trade partners could respond with retaliatory tariffs.

MEPS's new Market in Minutes podcast explores how challenges faced by Europe’s steelmakers and automotive manufacturers will raise the stakes in annual steel contract price negotiations between the two sectors in the coming months. 

The latest episode sees Professor David Bailey, professor of business economics at the University of Birmingham’s Birmingham Business School, Jato Dynamics global automotive analyst Felip Munoz, and MEPS head of research Stuart Gray share their insight with MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe.

Among the topics explored in MEPS’s European automotive-themed episode of Speaking of Steel are: 

• Faltering demand for cars and the sustainability of Europe’s auto sector 
• Are tariffs the answer? The growing market share of Chinese-made vehicles 
• JLR’s recent cyber attack and the impact on the automotive supply chain 
• What is the most likely outcome of automotive steel contract negotiations for 2026? 

Investment in Central Europe’s defence, energy and automotive sectors is unlikely to significantly increase prices in steel’s spot market, MEPS’s latest Market in Minutes podcast reveals.

MEPS’s International Steel Review reported that recent GDP forecasts positioned Poland as the EU’s fastest growing economy.

However, research lead Chris Jackson says that any recovery in steel prices is likely to be modest and incremental amid continued low spot market demand. Jackson, who shares the findings of MEPS research with managing editor Tom Sharpe in the new episode, said:

“Military and energy aside, companies engaged in commercial sales and day-to-day-spot business may not be reaping the rewards that are projected for those industries.”Featured among the topics covered in this Central Europe-themed episode of the Market in Minutes podcast series are:Encouraging economic indicators: defence, energy and automotive show signs of promise. Subdued spot market demand continues to stall any steel price recovery Rising production: growing capacity utilisation at Huta

• Encouraging economic indicators: defence, energy and automotive show signs of promise. 
• Subdued spot market demand continues to stall any steel price recovery 
• Rising production: growing capacity utilisation at Huta Czestochowa 
• Ukraine’s steel exports and the uncertainty created by the EU CBAM

Steel market analysts Adam Crookes and Jon Carruthers-Green joined MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe to reflect on key industry topics that will be discussed at the annual event, held at the NEC Birmingham, on September 10-11, in the latest episode of MEPS’s Speaking of Steel podcast. 

The 20-minute episode is available via YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts and covers: 

• Sentiment in a challenging UK steel market 
• Market participants’ response to new UK import safeguard measures 
• How US import tariffs have intensified calls for tighter trade defence measures  
• The importance of aligning UK and EU emissions trading schemes to minimise CBAM disruption 
• MEPS’s presence at the UK Metals Expo 2025

MEPS’s head of price analysis and forecasts, Kaye Ayub, will host panel discussions on the carbon steel and stainless steel markets, at next week's UK Metal Expo. Each will feature a panel of four industry experts, as previously reported by MEPS. 

Furthermore, a team of MEPS researchers will be available on stand B44, throughout the event, to discuss steel prices and market forecasts with attendees.