Global steel output drops in April

Steel mills around the world reduced their output by nearly 6.3 percent in April compared with the previous month, with steelmakers in China leading the cuts in production.

World crude steel production for the 69 countries reporting to the Brussels-based World Steel Association (Worldsteel) also dropped by 0.3 percent compared with output one year ago.

The 155.7 million metric tons (mmt) produced in Worldsteel countries this April represents a drop of about 10.4 mmt compared with the total this March.

A drop in activity in China has played a major role in the month-on-month drop. While Chinese mills churned out 92.8 mmt of steel this March, their output dropped 6.8 mmt, or 7.3 percent, in April.

Because of the April decline, China’s percentage of overall global steel output fell slightly from 55.9 percent this March to 55.2 percent in April.

Among the world’s other major steel-producing nations, India veered away from its growth track in April. India’s month-on-month output declined by 900,000 metric tons this April, or 6.5 percent, though its year-on-year output rose by 5.6 percent.

Other nations that made less steel this April compared with March include Japan (-600,000 metric tons), the United States (-100,000 metric tons) and Russia (estimated at -400,000 metric tons).

Also registering a slight month-on-month decline in April was ferrous scrap importer Turkey, where output dropped by 100,000 metric tons compared with the prior month, according to Worldsteel.