- HR exports dip by 3% m-o-m; Asia shows strong demand
- CR exports fall sharply on weak European buying interest
SteelDaily: South Korea’s stainless steel exports registered a downtrend across both hot-rolled (HR) and cold-rolled (CR) segments in October 2025. However, the degree of decline differed, with HR exports logging a slight drop due to strength in key Asian markets such as India and Southeast Asia, while CR exports recorded a sharp m-o-m fall, primarily due to a steep decline in European buying interest.
HR exports soften slightly but remain robust amid Asia demand
HR stainless steel exports from South Korea reached 50,049 t in October, slipping 3.4% m-o-m from 51,823 t in September, though overall, flows remained firm on the back of steady Asian demand. Southeast Asia continued to dominate with 22,914 t, led by Thailand (13,701 t) and Vietnam (8,813 t), while Taiwan (377 t) and Indonesia (23 t) saw smaller volumes. Shipments to India rose sharply to 8,761 t, supporting regional export strength. In contrast, exports to Europe halved to 13,157 t, with Turkey taking the bulk (12,046 t), followed by Italy (139 t) and Romania (972 t). The average HR export price dipped by 0.8% m-o-m to $1,664/t.
Cumulatively, HR exports rose 12.3% y-o-y to 456,475 t in January-October 2025, underscoring strong global demand.
CR exports fall sharply on weak European demand
CR stainless steel exports fell sharply by 14.6% m-o-m in October to 28,093 t from 32,891 t in September. The decline was primarily driven by a major contraction in European demand, where shipments dropped more than 58% m-o-m to 7,211 t from 17,348 t in September. Within Europe, exports to Italy (4,402 t), Slovenia (957 t), Spain (829 t), and Poland (283 t) all weakened noticeably.
Exports to Asia showed mixed momentum, with Northeast Asia at 7,723 t, Southeast Asia at 5,101 t, and Asia overall at 18,338 t. Shipments to India rose to 5,456 t, helping support southwest Asian demand. The average CR export price remained unchanged at $1,907/t for the month.
Cumulative January-October CR exports stood at 277,054 t, down 18.6% y-o-y, highlighting sustained weakness in higher-value CR orders through 2025.
Outlook
With Asian regions continuing to absorb Korean HR volumes and Europe remaining subdued on the CR front, the outlook for the coming months will hinge on the pace of regional demand recovery and the competitiveness of Korean export offers.
Note: This article has been published in accordance with a content exchange agreement between SteelDaily and BigMint.
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