Brazilian crude steel output in February dropped 1.7 percent, year-on-year, to 2.7 million mt, local steel association IABr said late this week.
Domestic steel sales in February increased 2.8 percent, year-on-year, to 1.5 million mt. Apparent steel consumption in February was 1.6 million mt, 3.7 percent up, year-on-year.
Brazilian steel imports in February grew 28.5 percent, year-on-year, in terms of volume to 203,000 mt, and 13.3 percent in value to $205 million, also on a year-on-year basis.
As for the two-month period, from January to February, Brazilian crude steel output was 5.6 million mt, 0.5 percent up, year-on-year. Domestic steel sales in the accumulated two-month period decreased 0.7 percent, year-on-year, to 2.8 million mt.
Brazilian steel imports in the January-February period totaled 380,000 mt in terms of volume, 1.3 percent up, year-on-year, and $417 million in value, which represents a 1.2 percent year-on-year decline.