The global stainless steel market has witnessed intensified fluctuations, and the trade pattern has undergone profound adjustments
In the second half of 2025, the global stainless steel market, under the dual influences of policies and trade, presented a new and complex situation.
The United States has imposed a maximum 50% tariff on imported stainless steel, which has led to the suspension or postponement of orders by one-third of enterprises worldwide, and more than half of the enterprises have re-evaluated their procurement strategies. In response, the European Union is also expected to introduce new import restrictions in October, indicating a clear upward trend of global trade protectionism.
Under this backdrop, the trading structure of stainless steel in China has undergone significant changes. From January to August 2025, China’s cumulative net export volume of stainless steel reached 234.7 million tons, increasing by more than 20% year-on-year. It is notable that in August, the volume of cold-rolled products imported from Indonesia increased by 143.5% compared with the previous month, while the export to the European Union during the same period saw a rush to export phenomenon due to the approaching carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), with a 66.2% increase compared to the previous month.
