France’s steel trade weakens in early 2025, while metal industry output edges up in June
In the January–May 2025 period, France recorded declines in both steel product imports and exports, according to data from the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry.
Basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €3.91 billion, down 12.7% year on year. Key categories included €852 million of steel pipes and tubes (-6.3%), €225.18 million of cold rolled steel bars (+3.9%), €283.34 million of cold rolled steel strip (-9.7%), €211.73 million of cold drawn wire (-3.8%), and €1.11 billion of metal structures and parts (-5.4%).
Exports of basic steel products and ferroalloys reached €4.01 billion in the same period, representing a 4.9% drop compared to the previous year. France shipped €524.89 million of steel pipes and tubes (-8.9%), €189.03 million of cold rolled steel bars (-0.9%), €265.54 million of cold rolled steel strip (-23.9%), €124.47 million of cold drawn wire (-13.9%), and €372.02 million of metal structures and parts (-0.6%).
Meanwhile, the latest figures from France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) show that manufacturing output in June 2025 increased 3.5% month on month, following a 1.2% decline in May. In the April–June quarter, manufacturing output was up 0.2% year on year and 0.7% compared to the previous quarter.
Production in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products rose 0.2% in June after falling 2.4% in May. The motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers sector saw a 1.1% monthly increase in June, reversing a 1.9% drop in May. In contrast, construction output fell 0.4% month on month in June, following a 0.5% decrease in May, and was 1.1% lower in the April–June quarter compared to the first quarter.
