Alacero, the Latin American steel association, has reported that in the first eight months of this year apparent finished steel use in Latin America totaled 45.1 million mt, remaining almost stable compared with the same period of 2017. The highest increases were registered in Brazil, up 1.2 million mt (+9%), in Argentina, up 247,000 mt (+8%) and in Uruguay, rising by 143,000 mt (+12%), while finished steel consumption decreased by 62 percent in Venezuela, was down 20 percent in Peru and dropped by five percent in Mexico, all on year-on-year basis.
On the other hand, according to advance information, Latin American crude steel production amounted to 5.6 million mt in September this year, decreasing by four percent month on month and up by three percent compared to September 2017.
Meanwhile, in the January-September period this year finished steel production in Latin America amounted to 49.3 million mt, up three percent year on year.