Rolled steel orders in Germany increase in Q1

The upward trend in the German steel market has continued to the beginning of 2011, according to the German steel federation Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl (WV Stahl). In the first quarter of this year, rolled steel orders in Germany rose by four percent year on year, reaching 10.98 million metric tons, up by 13 percent quarter on quarter.
 
Stimulus came especially from Germany's domestic market (up 10 percent year on year), totaling 7.17 million metric tons, while foreign orders decreased by six percent, amounting to 3.81 million metric tons. The reason for this is presumably the very robust economy in Germany in comparison to most other countries of the European Union, said the German steel federation.
 
German rolled steel deliveries in the first quarter rose sharply to 9.94 million metric tons from 8.89 million metric tons in Q4 2010 and up from 9.27 million metric tons in Q1 2010.