Japan reports decline in crude steel output
Japan's crude steel production fell 3.3% year-on-year to 8.65 million metric tons in February 2005, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation said today. The February figure also reflects a 9.1% drop from January. Production of ordinary steel fell 4.6% year-on-year to 6.7 million tons in February. However, specialty steel output rose 1.7% year-on-year to 1.95 million tons.