Brazilian crude steel output in February declined 1.3 percent, year-on-year, to 2.7 million mt, said local steel association, IABr.
Domestic steel sales in February rose 3.1 percent, year-on-year, to 1.5 million mt. Apparent steel consumption in the second month of the year was 1.7 million mt, 0.9 percent up, year-on-year.
Brazilian steel exports in February fell 16.4 percent, year-on-year, in volume to 750,000 mt, and 29.2 percent, year-on-year, in value to $386 million. Steel imports in February reached 149,000 mt, 26.6 percent down, year-on-year. Steel imports totaled $161 million in value, 21.3 percent down, year-on-year.
Year-to-date, Brazilian crude steel output reached 5.4 million mt in the two-month period, 6.4 percent down, year-on-year.
Domestic sales in the January-February period improved 5 percent, year-on-year, to 3.1 million mt.
Brazilian imports of steel in the accumulated period of January to February fell 0.8 percent, year-on-year, to 377,000 mt in terms of volume. In terms of value, imports in the period declined 6.4 percent, year-on-year, to $390 million.
Brazilian exports of steel in January-February dropped 25.1 percent, year-on-year, to 1.9 million mt, and to $914 million in terms of value, down 38.6 percent, year-on-year.