Global steel output dips marginally to 139 million tonnes in May

Global steel production fell marginally by 0.1% to 139.15 million tonnes (MT) last month compared with 139.29 MT a year ago, latest data by industry body World Steel Association (WSA) showed.

Crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of 66 countries in May 2016 was 71.3%, which is 1% point lower than May 2015. Compared to April 2016, it is 0.1% point lower, WSA said in a statement.

China's crude steel production for May 2016 was 70.5 MT, an increase of 1.8% compared to May 2015. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 8.8 MT of steel in May 2016, a decrease of 0.9%, it added.

India's steel production was 8 MT last month, up 4.9% on May 2015, while South Korea's steel production was 5.8 MT in May 2016, down by 3.5% on May 2015.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.9 MT of steel, an increase of 4% for the month under review, whereas Italy produced 2.2 MT of crude steel in May 2016, which was up by 9.3% on May 2015.

Spain produced 1.3 MT that was down by 10.6% compared to May 2015 and France's production fell by 18.8% to 1.2 MT compared to May 2015.

Turkey's crude steel production for May 2016 was 3 MT, up by 5.4% on May 2015, WSA said.

In May 2016, Russia produced 6 MT of crude steel, up by 0.4% over May 2015. Ukraine produced 2.3 MT of crude steel, up by 5.7% compared to the same month in 2015.

Steel production in the US fell marginally by 0.4% to 6.8 MT in May 2016.

While, Brazil's production for May 2016 was 2.6 MT, a decline by 13.2% on May 2015.