According to the World Steel Association (WSA), global crude steel production totaled 1.14 billion tonnes in the first nine months of 2012, remaining flat over 9M11, with China, responsible for 535 million tonnes, recording growth of 1%. Existing global capacity use increased from 75.5% in August to 77.7% in September.

The WSA expects global demand to slow, reined in by the European crisis and the reduced pace of Chinese economic growth, and has consequently revised its 2012 apparent steel consumption forecast down to 2.1% from 3.6% in April. For China, it expects growth of 2.5%, less than the 4% announced in April.

According to the Brazilian Steel Institute (IABr), 9M12 domestic production totaled 26.0 million tonnes of crude steel, 3% down on 9M11, and 11.2 million tonnes of rolled flat steel, up by 5% over the same period in 2011.

Domestic flat steel sales stood at 8.5 million tonnes in the first nine months, 1% down on 9M11, while flat steel exports fell 20%, to 1.3 million tonnes.

In the same period, domestic apparent flat steel consumption totaled 10.2 million tonnes, a reduction of 2% over 9M11.

Year-to-date flat steel imports stood at 1.6 million tonnes, 5% less than in the same period last year.

Source IABr - Click here to access the IABr website

WSA - Click here to access the World Steel Association website