Global crude steel production fell for a sixth consecutive month in February, by 2.2% on-year to 141.8 million tonnes, despite another notable jump in German production, while US and India output continued to buck the trend, Kallanish notes from worldsteel data.
As was the case in January, the figure is nevertheless based on estimated Chinese output, given at 76.09mt in February, which would be down 3.6% on-year. Indian output rose 7.7% to 13.6mt; however, it fell from the all-time January high.
Japanese output was flat at 6.4mt and South Korean production rose 0.2% to 4.82mt.
EU production fell 3.6% to 9.83mt in February, despite German production rising 4.8% to 2.83mt and Italian output hiking 2.7% to 1.87mt. Spanish production slumped 23% to 807,000t.
Turkish output rose 3.4% to 3.03mt.
US crude steel production surged 5.8% on-year in February to 6.5mt, but Brazilian output fell 5.7% to 2.5mt.
Russian production was estimated down 10.2% to 5.03mt and Ukrainian output was confirmed down 9.9% to 515,000t.
January-February global crude steel production thus fell 1.5% on-year to 298.2mt, with India, the US, South Korea, Turkey and Germany bucking the trend.
