Global Q1 crude steel output edges up 0.5% YoY

Crude steel production among the 71 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (WSA) posted an uptick of 0.5% on year to reach 469.1 million tonnes in the first quarter of this year, according to the association’s release on April 23.

For March alone, the 71 countries churned out 161.2 million tonnes of crude steel, down 4.3% on year, the WSA data found. However, last month’s output reversed up by 7.8% from February, Mysteel Global calculated.

China – the world’s largest steelmaking country – logged a 1.9% on-year fall in crude steel output to 256.6 million tonnes over January-March, according to the release. Notably, the country’s crude steel output declined by 7.8% on year to 88.3 million tonnes in March.

India held its spot as the world’s second-largest steelmaking country with its crude steel output standing at 37.3 million tonnes and 12.7 million tonnes respectively for Q1 and March, up 9.7% and 7.8% on year, the WSA statistics show.

Crude steel production in the third-largest steel-producing country Japan dipped by 0.8% and 3.9% on year to record 21.5 million tonnes and 7.2 million tonnes respectively for Q1 and March, according to WSA.

Among the top 10 steelmaking countries, Türkiye was the only one that posted double-digit on-year gains for both the first three months and March, Mysteel Global notes, with volumes jumping by 28.4% and 18% respectively on year to 9.5 million tonnes and 3.2 million tonnes.

Written by Rong Zhang, Mysteel