Brazil's flat, long steel output increases

Brazil's Steel Association IBS disclosed that the country's flat and long steel production recorded an increase in May compared to the same period of last year. Flat steel production rose 4.5 percent year on year to 1.16 million tons in May. On the other hand, the production fell 6.2 percent to 5.51 million tons in the first five months of 2006. Long steel production reached 773,900 tons in May, up 22.6 percent from a year earlier. In January-May 2006 period, long steel production rose 6.5 percent to 3.72 million tons. Domestic flat steel sales rose 11.2 percent to 906,700 tons in May while long steel shipments increased 14.6 percent to 547,900 tons.