Germany posts year-on-year rise in steel output

Data from Germany's Federal Statistical Office show that the country's crude steel output rose 9 percent year on year to 4.02 million metric tons in May. Pig iron output increased 5 percent year on year to 2.54 million metric tons. Compared to previous month, May crude steel production fell 1.1 percent and pig iron production decreased 2.5 percent. Crude steel output totaled 19.34 million metric tons through the first five months of the year, up 0.5 percent year on year. On the other hand, pig iron output amounted to 12.41 million metric tons, down 1.1 percent.