Steel output falls

The latest estimates from the World Steel Association show world steel production declined 6.5% year-on-year in July to 149.3 million tonnes.

Data for individual countries showed Chinese output was down 6.4% both for July year-on-year and the year to date to 81.4 million tonnes and 609.3 million tonnes, respectively. The association estimates Russian production was down 13.2% year-on-year in July and is down 7% overall for the year so far.

Turkish steel production reportedly plunged 20.7% compared to July 2021 to 2.7 million tonnes. US output also contracted in July, decreasing 6.4% year-on-year to 7 million tonnes. So far this year, the US total has declined 3%.

Of the other leading producers, India’s total in July was 10.1 million tonnes, up 3.2% year-on-year; Japan 7.3 million tonnes (down 8.5%); South Korea 6.1 million tonnes (down 0.6%); Germany 3.0 million tonnes (down 2.0%); Brazil 2.8 million tonnes (down 8.7%) and Iran 2.0 million tonnes (up 34.1%).