The Brazilian production of crude steel reached 2.573 million mt in December 2024, 1.8 percent more than in December 2023, according to the Brazilian steel institute, IABr.
On a comparative basis, the production of rolled products was stable at 1.653 million mt, with the production of flat products declining by 7.2 percent to 1.008 million mt and the production of long products increasing by 13.7 percent to 645,000 mt.
Similarly, domestic sales of steel products increased by 3.1 percent to 1.483 million mt and the apparent consumption of steel products declined by 7.0 percent to 1.809 million mt, while exports declined by 10.4 percent to 753,000 mt and imports declined by 36.5 percent to 324,000 mt.
Considering the total of 2024, crude steel production increased from 2023 by 5.3 percent to 33,742 million mt, domestic sales increased by 8.3 percent to 21.200 million mt, exports declined by 18.1 percent to 9.600 million mt, imports increased by 18.2 percent to 5.900 million mt, and the apparent consumption of steel products increased by 8.3 percent to 25.693 million mt.
Meanwhile, the institute has issued the January 2025 edition of the index of confidence of the steel industry, with the third consecutive decline, now reaching 42.4 points, significantly lower than the mark of 50 points that divides optimism and pessimism.
According to IABr, such decline reflects the pessimism of the steel industry in relation to the developments of the Brazilian economy.
