Brazilian crude steel production in December dropped 6.3 percent, year-on-year, to 2.6 million mt, local steel association, IABr, said this week.
The local steel association said domestic sales in December reached 1.4 million mt, 3.2 percent down, year-on-year.
Apparent steel consumption in the last month of the year was 1.5 million mt, 1.9 percent down, year-on-year, IABr said.
IABr said Brazilian imports of steel in December totaled 160,000 mt in volumes, 9.6 percent up, year-on-year, and $167 million in value, 0.6 percent down, also on a year-on-year basis.
As for the full year of 2018, Brazilian crude steel production was 34.7 million mt, 1.1 percent up, year-on-year.
IABr said domestic sales in the full year of 2018 rose 8.2 percent, year-on-year, to 18.3 million mt.
Apparent steel consumption in 2018 reached 20.6 million mt, 7.3 percent up, year-on-year.
Brazilian steel imports in the full year of 2018 improved 3.3 percent, year-on-year, to 2.4 million mt.