Major Russian steelmaker Severstal expects further steel demand growth in the country, but prices are likely to decrease due to a downward trend in raw material markets.
"In 2017 Russian steel demand increased 5% and is expected to be 3-4% higher in 2018, supported by [gross domestic product] growth and gradual economic recovery," chief executive officer Alexander Shevelev said. Another driver for steel demand growth is higher investment activity as a result of low inflation, which allows the Central Bank of Russia to cut interest rates. Russia's inflation was 2.5% in 2017, according to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, which represented the lowest level since 1991. The World Steel...