Global steel production up in November

By Glenn Dyer | More Articles by Glenn Dyer

The World Steel Association reported a 6.6% rise in global output in November with China, Germany and Ukraine posting the largest increases.

Japan, the US and South Korea posted falls.

A total of 158.3 million tonnes of crude steel was produced in November by the 64 countries that report to the World Steel Association, compared with 147.8 million tonnes in the same month in 2019.

China, the world’s biggest steelmaking country, produced 87.7 million tonnes (Mt) of crude steel last month, up by 8% from November 2019, but well under the near 93 million tonne peak produced in August, 2020.

India produced 9.2 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, up 3.5% on November 2019. Japan produced 7.3 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, down 5.9% on November 2019. South Korea’s crude steel production for November 2020 was 5.8 Mt, down by 2.4% on November 2019.

In the European Union, Germany produced 3.4 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, up 14.8% on November 2019. Italy produced 2.0 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, up 3.2% on November 2019. France produced 1.1 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, up 3.7% on November 2019.

In North America, the US produced 6.1 Mt of crude steel in November 2020 and down 13.7% compared to November 2019.

In the C.I.S., production is estimated to be 8.2 Mt in November 2020, up 7.0% on November 2019. Ukraine produced 1.7 Mt of crude steel in November 2020, up 30.8% on November 2019.

In other Europe, Turkey’s crude steel production for November 2020 was 3.2 Mt, up 11.6% from November last year.

Australian production was unchanged at a reported 450,000 tonnes.

About Glenn Dyer

Glenn Dyer has been a finance journalist and TV producer for more than 40 years. He has worked at Maxwell Newton Publications, Queensland Newspapers, AAP, The Australian Financial Review, The Nine Network and Crikey.

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