Russia ups crude steel output 3.4 percent in Q1

The Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat) has reported that the country's crude steel output rose 3.4 percent year on year to 16.995 million tons in the first quarter of 2006. In first quarter of 2006, flat steel output rose 3.5 percent, billet output increased 8.7 percent and electrical steel output rose 10.6 percent.