Brazil's crude steel output up slightly

Brazil’s crude steel output up slightly

Brazil's steel association IBS disclosed that the country's crude steel output rose 1% year on year to 2.8 million tons in March 2005. Total crude steel output amounted to 7.95 million tons in the first three months of 2005, down 0.4% from a year earlier. According to IBS data, domestic steel sales totaled 1.6 million tons in March, up 8.8% year on year. During the first quarter, domestic steel sales reached 4.4 million tons, an increase of 5.8% compared to the same period last year.