Global crude steel production climbed year-on-year in both March and overall in the first quarter, World Steel Association data show. Pig iron output increased, even though production in China was broadly steady.
Global crude steel production reached 141mn t in March and 405.7mn t in the first quarter, gains of 2.7pc and 2.5pc year-on-year, respectively. The increases were once again led by China, where output climbed by 2.2pc for the month and by 2.4pc for the quarter. But pig iron growth in China was broadly stable, with output in March 0.12pc lower year-on-year, while quarterly production increased by 0.5pc.
Globally, blast furnace production grew at a faster pace. World pig iron output increased by 1.37pc year-on-year in March and by 1.6pc for the quarter. The rise was led by South Korea, the EU — particularly Germany — and India. South Korea’s quarterly pig iron production climbed by 16.3pc on the year, while EU and German output rose by 8pc and 7.7pc, respectively. India produced 4.8pc more than in the first quarter of last year.
The World Steel Association estimated that the global crude steel capacity utilisation ratio was 79.0pc in March, 0.4 percentage points lower year on year.
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