Global crude steel production increased 5.6% on-year in September to 141.4 million tonnes, spurred by a 5.3% growth in China, according to worldsteel. Output in the nine months through September was also up 5.6% on-year to 1.27 billion t.

Chinese crude steel output totalled 71.83mt in September, taking its nine-month output up 6.3% to 638.73mt. Japanese production rose 2% in September to 8.62mt, while South Korean output was up 2.8% to an estimated 5.88mt. Indian production grew 1.9% to an estimated 8.2mt.

In the EU, German production increased 8.1% in September to an estimated 3.51mt, while Italian output rose 8.3% to 2.17mt and French output was up 3.2% to 1.32mt. Spanish and Polish output were up 6.7% and 16.8% respectively to 1.25mt and an estimated 880,000t.

Turkey’s crude steel production in September grew 13% to 3mt.

US output grew 8.6% in September to 6.72mt, with Brazilian output rising 7.6% to 2.96mt. Mexican production fell -0.4% to an estimated 1.59mt and Canadian production rose 1% to an estimated 1.01mt.

Russian output rose 5.8% in September to 6.03mt but Ukrainian production fell -0.8% to 1.85mt.

The largest output growth among countries with over 100,000t monthly output was recorded by Pakistan at 64.3%, taking its production in September to an estimated 460,000t. The steepest decline was in Czech Republic, at -46.4% to 235,000t.

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries reporting to worldsteel in September was 73.5%. This is 2.8 percentage points higher than September 2016. Compared to August it is 0.6p.p higher.

Last week worldsteel said global finished steel demand will grow 2.8% on-year in 2017 to 1.62 billion t, when the statistical distortion of Chinese induction furnace closures is eliminated (see Kallanish 17 October).