Southern Europe's steel sector struggles as auto industry stalls

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 some of the latest findings from MEPS’s research in Italy and Spain in conversation with MEPS managing editor Tom Sharpe. Her insight draws on commentary on the region’s steel market, along with flat and long product prices, price indices and 12-month forecasts, which can be found in MEPS’s monthly European Steel Review. 

The topics featured in December’s ‘Market in Minutes’ podcast were: 

• An automotive sector slowdown  
• EU import safeguard quotas and their near-term influence on supply 
• Steelmakers’ production cuts: will they align supply with demand 
• Changing business models in the steel industry’s supply chain 
• Steel demand resulting from Valencia’s flood reconstruction works 

The Southern Europe-focussed episode of Market in Minutes can be accessed via the following podcast platforms: 

YouTube 

Spotify 

Apple Podcasts 

MEPS market analysts recently reflected on 2024’s top steel market trends and shared their outlook for 2025 in another new episode of the Speaking of Steel podcast. MEPS’s head of price analysis and forecasts, Kaye Ayub, and market analysts Jon Carruthers-Green and Ewan Gilfillan formed a discussion panel for the ‘How will 2024's top trends shape the market outlook?’ episode. 

The three market analysts are part of the MEPS team which recently produced the steel market insight provider’s Steel Price Outlook report. The newly published report features the latest five-year steel price forecasts for Europe, North America and Asia. It frames its global outlook with regional commentaries, economic overviews and analysis of the steelmaking raw materials market.  

Visit the MEPS website for details of how to buy a copy of the MEPS Steel Price Outlook.