World crude steel production, not counting China, declined by 10.6 percent in March versus the same month last year, reported the World Steel Association, showing early signs of the effect of the coronavirus. Steel production in the United States declined by 6 percent in March, to 7.2 million metric tons, as mills announced furnace idlings […]
Global steel production was relatively strong in February, but that was before the coronavirus really began to slow the economy. The IMF projects that the impending global recession will be as bad or worse than the global financial crisis a decade ago . Figure 1 shows annualized monthly global steel production on a three-month moving […]
If the coronavirus leads to a global pandemic, it will severely disrupt steel production. Figure 1 shows annualized monthly global steel production on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis and capacity utilization since January 2000. Based on OECD data (see below), the 3MMA for capacity utilization in January was 83.0 percent, down from 88.2 percent […]
China increased steel production by three million metric tons in December. Figure 1 shows annualized monthly global steel production on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis and capacity utilization since January 2000. Based on OECD data (see below), capacity utilization in December on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis was 80.9 percent, down from 86.3 […]
The official economic statistics out of China show a decline in GDP to a level slightly lower than the depths of the global recession in 2009. China’s share of global steel production was 54.3 percent in November. Once each quarter we publish the official statistics for Chinese GDP, industrial production, consumer price inflation and fixed […]
Steel production in the U.S. declined in the period from September-November 2019, but by less than the rest of the world, excluding China, according to Steel Market Update’s latest analysis of World Steel Association data. Figure 1 shows annualized monthly global steel production on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis and capacity utilization since January […]
Global steel production contracted in October for the first time since March 2016, according to Steel Market Update’s analysis of OECD and WSA data. Figure 1 shows annualized monthly global steel production on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis and capacity utilization since January 2000. Based on OECD data (see below), capacity utilization in October […]
China’s steel production continues to grow as the rest of the world contracts. Figure 1 shows annualized monthly global steel production on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis and capacity utilization since January 2000. The OECD has taken over responsibility for tracking global steel capacity. Their data shows that global capacity declined each year 2016 […]
Nucor Steel Arkansas opened its new cold mill complex at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 25. The $230 million specialty cold mill will expand Nucor’s capability to produce high strength, high-strength low-alloy and motor lamination steel products for the automotive industry. “As a world leader in steel manufacturing technology, Nucor is particularly focused on […]
The official economic statistics out of China show a decline in GDP to a level slightly lower than the depths of the global recession in 2009. China’s share of global steel production was 55.9 percent in August. Once each quarter we publish the official statistics for Chinese GDP, industrial production, consumer price inflation and fixed […]
From June through August, global steel production increased by 3.1 percent, but excluding China, growth declined by 2.1 percent with the result that China’s share reached another all-time high of 55.9 percent. We have a new perspective this month on global capacity. About a year ago, the World Steel Association stopped reporting global capacity utilization […]
Scrap prices are heading down and could dip below the $200/GT mark as the gap between scrap supplies and demand continues to widen. With mill operating rates declining under 80 percent and scrap export markets dropping drastically, expect steel prices to follow suit, said scrap consultant John Harris, CEO of Aaristic Services. Scrap is the […]
World steel production is down this year. Between May and July, global steel production declined by 4.1 percent. For the year, steel output is down by 0.9 percent, excluding China which continues to overproduce. Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion metric tons and capacity utilization in July was 79.0 percent, according to the latest […]
The official economic statistics out of China showed a decline in industrial production in July. But in June, China’s share of global steel production was 55.1 percent. Once each quarter we publish the official statistics for Chinese GDP, industrial production, consumer price inflation and fixed asset investment. We don’t know the accuracy of these numbers, […]
In June, China’s share of global steel production exceeded 55 percent for the first time. In May and June, the annual rate of global steel production exceeded 1.9 billion metric tons. Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion metric tons and capacity utilization in June was 80.0 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update […]
The World Steel Association reports that total global crude steel production in May increased to 162.7 million metric tons (179.3 million short tons), an increase of 5.4 percent over May 2018. Leading the way was China with a 10 percent increase to 89.1 million metric tons (98.2 million short tons). Chinese production exceeded an annual […]
Global steel production hit an all-time high in April and that record was smashed in May. Global steel production in April achieved a new high annual rate of 1.880 billion metric tons (Mt). Production surged in May to an annual rate of 1.953 billion Mt. Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion Mt and capacity […]
The CEO of ArcelorMittal says Europe has a “steel glut” because of U.S. tariffs and the EU needs to do more to limit imports. ArcelorMittal Chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal told a German newspaper yesterday that safeguards initiated by the EU are not successfully protecting the European steel industry. “The EU has announced safeguard measures, […]
China’s crude steel production in April exceeded an annualized rate of one billion tons for the first time as the Asian giant continues to grow its global market share, according to Steel Market Update’s analysis of the latest World Steel Association data. On March 27, the OECD Steel Committee reported: “Low growth prospects for the […]
Crude steel production worldwide increased by 6.4 percent in April, compared with April 2018, totaling 156.7 million metric tons, reported the World Steel Association in Brussels. WSA members represent about 85 percent of global steel production. China led the increase with crude steel production of 85 million tons, a jump of 12.7 percent from April […]
Global steel production in February reached an annual rate of 1.647 billion metric tons (Mt). Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion Mt and capacity utilization in February was 73.0 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis of World Steel Association data. In three months through February, Chinese production grew by 8.8 percent […]
Global steel production in January was at an annual rate of 1.760 billion metric tons (Mt). Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion Mt and capacity utilization in January was 74.0 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis of World Steel Association data. In three months through January, China grew by 7.8 percent […]
Global steel production slowed in December, but this was purely a seasonal effect. Global steel production in December was at an annual rate of 1.765 billion metric tons. Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion tons and capacity utilization in December was 74.0 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis of World Steel […]
Economist Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics, will make another appearance as a keynote presenter for Steel Market Update’s premier event, the 2019 Steel Summit Conference, set for Aug. 26-28 at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta. He will offer an insightful overview of U.S. economic trends and their implications for the steel industry. […]
Editor’s note: Steel Market Update is sharing the following Premium content with all its readers in this issue. For more information on how to upgrade to a Premium-level subscription, email info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. In three months through November year over year, China’s steel production grew 18 times faster than the rest of the world. (Not a typo!) […]
Steel production in China continues to outpace other nations. China’s steel production grew eight times faster than production in the rest of the world in the three-month period from August through October, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis of World Steel Association data. Global steel production in October hit an annual rate of […]
China continues to outpace the rest of the world in the growth of its steel production. Global steel production in September hit an annual rate of 1.821 billion metric tons. Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion metric tons and capacity utilization in September was 76 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis […]
The growth of the Chinese economy has slowed, but their steel production is growing almost three times as fast as the rest of the world. Once each quarter, Steel Market Update publishes the official statistics for Chinese GDP, industrial production, consumer price inflation and fixed asset investment. Many analysts don’t believe these self-serving Party figures, […]
Global steel production in July hit an annual rate of 1.855 billion metric tons. Capacity is calculated to be 2.38 billion metric tons; therefore, capacity utilization was 78 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis of World Steel Association data. In three months through July, Chinese production grew by 10.5 percent year over […]
Global steel production in August achieved an annual rate of 1.821 billion metric tons. Capacity is calculated to be 2.4 billion metric tons; therefore, capacity utilization was 76 percent, according to the latest Steel Market Update analysis of World Steel Association data. In three months through August, China’s steel production grew by 9.0 percent year […]