France’s basic steel product and ferroalloy exports increased by 2.3 percent year on year to €6.44 billion in January-August 2026, while imports declined by one percent to €5.92 billion, according to the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry. These figures resulted in a trade surplus of €520 million for the period.
Trade in other steel product categories showed mixed trends. Steel pipe and tube exports fell by 5.6 percent to €796.36 million, while imports edged up by 0.3 percent to €1.33 billion. Exports of cold rolled steel bars rose by 6.1 percent to €307.88 million, whereas imports slipped by 0.9 percent to €335.02 million.
Cold rolled steel strip exports decreased by 5.3 percent to €407.16 million, with imports falling by 3.4 percent to €422.93 million. Cold drawn wire exports increased by 3.2 percent to €197.76 million, while imports declined by 4.8 percent to €301.79 million. Exports of metal structures and parts fell by one percent to €594.21 million, while imports dropped by 9.5 percent to €1.53 billion. All trade changes are compared with January-August 2025.
Meanwhile, France’s production of basic metals and fabricated metal products, excluding machinery and equipment, edged up by 0.1 percent month on month in August, following a 1.4 percent decline in July, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).
Overall manufacturing output rose by 0.3 percent in August after falling by 0.8 percent in July. However, manufacturing output in June-August was down by 1.2 percent year on year and by 1.9 percent compared with the previous three-month period.
Among steel-consuming sectors, production of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers declined by 3.4 percent month on month in August, reversing a 1.3 percent increase in July. Construction output rose by 0.7 percent after remaining stable in July, although output for June-August was down by 2.0 percent compared with the preceding three months.
Author: SteelOrbis Editorial Team
