Steel consumption in Russia in the first quarter fell by 3% compared to the same period last year, according to a review of Severstal. The largest drop in consumption is observed in mechanical engineering, which is hit by the departure of foreign car manufacturers. Also significantly reduced purchases of pipes “Gazprom” against the backdrop of falling gas exports. In addition to the domestic market, a decrease is observed both in steel production and in exports. However, analysts expect consumption to fall in single digits.