According to the Turkish Steel Producers Association (TCUD), data published by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) for November show that, despite the ongoing contraction in global crude steel production, production trends are clearly diverging by country and region. The figures suggest that, rather than a uniform decline on the global supply side, production centers are gradually becoming more diversified.
Overall outlook for global crude steel production
In its assessment, TCUD stated that global crude steel production declined on a year-on-year basis both in November with 4.6 percent and over the January-November period with two percent. However, it emphasized that this contraction was largely driven by lower output in Asia, particularly in China. Worldsteel data indicate that the decline in Chinese production has increased downward pressure on the global total, while several other Asian countries and regions have shown more balanced trends or even growth.
According to worldsteel figures for November and the January–November period, developments on the supply side of the global steel market do not point to a one-directional contraction. Instead, they reveal a deepening divergence across countries and regions.
TCUD noted that, although the overall global contraction has remained limited, the presence of countries and regions posting production growth is among the key indicators that balances in global crude steel production are being reshaped. According to the association, this picture shows that the centers of gravity in global steel production are not moving uniformly and that a multi-layered transformation process is unfolding on the supply side.
Regional divergences become more pronounced
A closer look at the data highlights clear regional divergences among the main steel-producing areas. Asia recorded one of the sharpest contractions in 2025 with 2.2 percent, led by China. Despite ongoing growth in India and relatively balanced production levels in countries such as Japan and South Korea, the four percent decline in China in the given period pulled down the overall regional picture. As a result, Asia’s contribution to global crude steel production weakened on a year-on-year basis.
In Europe, production remained under pressure throughout 2025. Weak industrial activity and persistent cost challenges kept output levels generally below those seen in 2024 and the region’s crude steel output in the first eleven months of 2025 amounted to 116.1 million mt with a 3.3 percent decrease year on year. North America showed a relatively more resilient performance, supported by stable production in the United States, although growth remained limited at only 1.2 percent in the given period. By contrast, the Middle East and Turkey posted a mixed performance. According to worldsteel’s monthly data, Turkey maintained production volumes at mid-range levels, at 34.6 million mt in the January-November period with a two percent increase, but no clear upward trend emerged.
