[World Steel Association: Global Steel Demand to Rise Marginally by 0.3% in 2026]
The World Steel Association released its short-term steel demand forecast report for 2026-2027 on April 14, projecting that global steel demand is expected to increase marginally by 0.3% to 1.724 billion mt in 2026, with demand accelerating by 2.2% to 1.762 billion mt in 2027. The chairman stated: "The latest forecast results validate the trends we projected in our report released in October 2025, confirming that global steel demand is bottoming out during 2025-2026. Previously, since 2022, global structural adjustment went through a prolonged and challenging phase that suppressed steel demand. We are now transitioning to a mild growth trajectory in 2026, with more pronounced accelerated growth expected in 2027."