Germany posts year-on-year rise in steel output

Data from Germany's Federal Statistical Office show that the country's crude steel output rose nine percent year on year to 3.85 million metric tons in December. Pig iron output for the same month increased 4.3 percent year on year to 2.59 million metric tons. Compared to the previous month, December crude steel production fell 1.8 percent while pig iron production increased 9.8 percent. German crude steel output totaled 47.23 million metric tons during 2006, up 6.1 percent year on year. In addition, pig iron output amounted to 30.36 million metric tons, up 5.2 percent on the same period last year.