Chinese steel production climbs sharp in June

SteelOrbis Shanghai Chinese steel production continued its robust growth in June. Especially the increase in flat steel production is notable, with HR sheet production growth reaching 130.9 percent year on year. According to the latest figures released by China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), China produced 35.0523 million mt of pig iron in June 2006, up 21.77 percent year on year. The average daily production of pig iron also rose by 2.53 percent compared with May to 1.1684 million mt. From January to June, cumulative pig iron production totaled 193.196 million mt, up 20.85 percent year on year. Meanwhile crude steel output increased 18.52 percent year on year to 36.6188 million mt in June, with 1.2206 million mt daily production, up 5.8 percent from May. The cumulative crude steel output in the first half of the year totaled 199.4696 million mt, up 18.26 percent year on year. Finished steel output totaled 41.1997 million mt, up 32.1 percent year on year, with daily production of 1.3733 million mt, up 5.8 percent compared with May, the highest level in the history. Finished steel output from January to June totaled 221.9518 million mt, up 25.78 percent year on year. On product basis, rebar production for June totaled 7.0707 million mt, up 29.4 percent year on year, with average daily production of 235,700 mt, up 5.79 percent month on month. Wire rod production increased 23.6 percent year on year to 6.3259 million mt, with 210,800 mt of daily output, up 8.27 percent from May. Medium plate production totaled 2.1839 million mt, up 31.2 percent year on year, while the daily production increased 9.45 percent from May to 72,800 mt. Medium wide steel strip production increased 32.1 percent year on year to 3.8452 million mt, with 128,100 mt average daily production, up 0.38 percent month on month. CR sheet production totaled 1.11 million mt, up 70.66 percent; CR thin & wide steel strip production totaled 1.0585 million mt, up 47.8 percent; HR sheet production totaled 547,900 mt, up 130.9 percent; and HR thin & wide steel strip production totaled 1.3376 million mt, up 57.5 percent.