Alacero, the Latin American steel association, has reported that in the January-September period of this year apparent finished steel use in Latin America and the Caribbean totaled 49.8 million mt, up four percent compared with the same period of 2016. The highest increases were registered in Mexico, up 1.3 million mt (+7.0%), in Brazil, up 687,000 mt (+5.0%), in Argentina, rising by 269,000 mt (+9.0%), in Venezuela, growing 52,000 mt (+11%), and in Chile, up 31,000 mt (+2.0%), while finished steel consumption decreased by 85,000 mt (-18%) in Bolivia, was down 33,000 mt (-13%) in Honduras, dropped by 25,000 mt (-11%) in El Salvador, decreased by 41,000 mt (-4.0%) in Ecuador and declined by 26,000 mt (-4.0%) in Guatemala, all on year-on-year basis.
In the January-September period of this year, regional finished steel trade registered an annual deficit of 8.9 million mt, rising by 13 percent year on year. In the given period, only Brazil and Argentina registered surpluses, of 2.3 million mt and 84,000 mt, respectively, while the largest steel trade deficit was recorded in Mexico (4.2 million mt), followed by Colombia (1.7 million mt), Chile (1.2 million mt) and Peru (1.1 million mt).
On the other hand, according to advance information, Latin American crude steel production amounted to 5.5 million mt in October this year, up one percent month on month and down by one percent compared to October 2016.
Meanwhile, in the January-September period this year finished steel production in Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to 39.6 million mt, up four percent year on year.