Alacero, the Latin American steel association, has reported that in the first two months of this year apparent finished steel use in Latin America and the Caribbean totaled 9.9 million mt, remaining stable compared with the same period of 2016. The highest increases were registered in Mexico, up 200,000 mt (+5.0%), in Brazil, up 148,000 mt (+5.0%) and in El Salvador, rising by 107,000 mt (+182%), while finished steel consumption decreased by 114,00 mt (-42%) in Ecuador, was down 83,000 mt (-47%) in Guatemala, dropped by 81,000 mt (-83%) in Bolivia, diminished by 58,000 mt (-12%) in Chile and narrowed by 76,000 mt (-14%) in Peru, all on year-on-year basis.
In the January-February period of this year, regional finished steel trade registered an annual deficit of 1.9 million mt, rising by two percent year on year. In the given period, only Brazil registered a surplus of 418,000 mt, while the largest steel trade deficit was recorded in Mexico (866,000 mt), followed by Colombia (416,000 mt), Chile (237,000 mt) and Peru (234,000 mt).
On the other hand, according to advance information, Latin American crude steel production amounted to 5.4 million mt in March this year, rising by eight percent month on month and up by 16 percent compared to March 2016.
Meanwhile, in the January-February period this year finished steel production in Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to 8.3 million mt, up two percent year on year.