After a year in 2025 marked by stabilisation and even a slight decline in alloy surcharge prices for different grades of stainless steel compared to 2024, the beginning of 2026 saw a sharp rise in prices, which returned to 2024 levels.
This was due to the rise in raw material costs and strong demand for certain specialised grades rich in nickel and molybdenum, such as 316 and 316L.
Source: ARS Métal
As the main steel prices remain stable for the moment and are even showing a slight decrease due to weaker demand in Europe, this could reduce the overall impact of the global price trend for stainless steel.
However, some indicators suggest that steel consumption could rebound in Europe during the course of the year, which would then lead to an overall increase in the prices of both steel and stainless steel.