Global crude steel output’s upward trend continues
As per the data published by International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI), global crude steel
production reached 85.7 million mts in May, revealing an increase of 5.6% compared to the same period of last year. In Jan-May 2004 period,
production amounted to 419.3 million mts with an increase of 8.2% compared to Jan-May 2003 period.
China produced 21.1 million mts of crude steel in May. This figure indicates a 13.3% rise compared to May 2003. Year-to-date
production was also up by 22.7% to 103.9 million mts. However, these growth rates were lower than the previous month's rates. This situation marks that
China's struggle to slowdown its overheated economy started to show effect. Latest figures show that
China's
production accounted for 24% of global steel
production in May.
Crude steel
production in
North America amounted to 10.9 million mts in May, indicating an increase of 6.3% compared to the same period of last year. US output was up by 7.1% compared to May 2003 and by 3.4% since the beginning of this year.
South America's crude steel output was recorded as 3.9 million mts with 3.8% increase. Brazilian output surged by 2.7% annually to 2.7 million mts in the mentioned period. Cumulative figures for the whole region show a 7.1% increase.
Africa's May output soared by only 0.8% on annual basis and indicated decrease in cumulative
production. South
Africa produced 819'900 mts of the 1.4 million tons produced by the region last month.
May April May %change 5 months
2004 2004 2003 May-04/03 2004 2003 %change
Other
Europe 2.391 2.342 2.167 10.4 11.635 10.377 12.1
EU (15) 14.651 14.141 14.160 3.5 70.633 68.932 2.5
EU (25) 16.852 16.283 16.313 3.3 81.246 78.535 3.5
C.I.S 9.333 9.054 8.938 4.4 46.059 42.938 7.3
N.America 10.938 10.940 10.292 6.3 54.236 52.371 3.6
S.America 3.881 3.757 3.739 3.8 18.824 17.572 7.1
Africa 1.428 1.386 1.416 0.8 6.727 6.810 -1.2
MiddleEast 1.100 1.137 1.100 0.0 5.507 5.293 4.1
Asia 39.039 38.088 36.423 7.2 191.455 169.980 12.6
Ocenia 703 713 701 0.3 3.587 3.450 4.0
Total 62 85.666 83.699 81.089 5.6 419.277 387.325 8.2