Global crude steel production in January was up slightly from December but remains down year-on-year, according to the latest worldsteel data. Growth in the Middle East and steady Asian output was offset by significant declines in other regions, Kallanish notes.

Crude steel output in the 63 countries monitored by worldsteel was down 3.3% year-on-year at 145.3 million tonnes but up from 140.7mt in December.

In China, estimated output in January was up 2.3% y-o-y at 79.5mt, recovering from 77.89mt in December. Chinese mills have been ramping up ahead of expected stronger demand in Q2.

Elsewhere in Asia, however, output was falling. India saw only a slight 0.2% y-o-y decline to 10.9mt in January. Japan saw output drop 6.9% to 7.2mt, while South Korea saw output slump 9.8% to 5.5mt.

In the EU27, crude steel output dropped even faster by 15.2% y-o-y to 10.3mt. Germany alone contributed a 10.2% decline in output to 2.9mt.

Turkey meanwhile saw output slump 17.6% y-o-y to 2.6mt.

In the USA and Brazil, crude steel output was down 6.8% to 6.5mt and down 4.9% to 2.8mt, respectively.

Russian steel output also fell 8.9% y-o-y to 5.8mt.

Only Iran saw significant increases in steel output, expanding 27.7% y-o-y to 2.7mt.