Data released by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) show that global crude steel production for May 2008 rose 5.8 percent year on year to 119.5 million metric tons.
China is again the world's largest steel producing country with crude steel production of 46 million metric tons in May 2008, an increase of 10.5 percent from a year earlier. Total crude steel production in the Asian region amounted to 67.6 million metric tons, up 8.3 percent on a year ago.
Germany produced 4.1 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2008, showing an increase of 2.6 percent year on year. Italy produced an estimated 2.99 million metric tons in the month in question, marking an increase of 7.6 percent compared to May 2007. Production in the UK was 1.014 million metric tons, down 20.4 percent on a year ago.
Production in Turkey was 11.7 million metric tons, an increase of nine percent compared to May 2007.
Brazil's crude steel production in May 2008 rose 2.8 percent year on year to three million metric tons.
The US produced 8.56 million metric tons in May 2008, registering a 0.5 percent increase year on year.