Sharp fall in global crude steel output, not in China
Sunday, 24 January 2010
BRUSSELS, Jan 23 (Commodity Online): World crude steel production reached 1,220 million metric tonnes for the year of 2009. This is a decrease of -8.0 per cent compared to 2008.
Steel production declined in nearly all the major steel producing countries and regions including the EU, North America, South America and the CIS in 2009. However, Asia, in particular China and India, and the Middle East showed positive growth in 2009.
In December 2009, world crude steel output for the 66 countries reporting the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 106.4 mmt, an increase of 30.2 per cent compared to December 2008. Most major-steel producing countries showed two-digit growth in December 2009. The world crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries in December 2009 was 71.5 per cent, a decrease from 74.7 per cent in November 2009. Compared to 2008, the utilisation ratio in December 2009 increased by 13.4 per centage points.
China's crude steel production in 2009 reached 567.8 mmt, an increase of 13.5 per cent on 2008. This is a record annual crude steel production figure for a single country. China's share of world steel production continued to grow in 2009 producing 47 per cent of world total crude steel, an increase of 9 per centage points compared to 2008.
Asia produced 795.4 mmt of crude steel in 2009, an increase of 3.5 per cent compared to 2008. Its share of world steel production increased to 65 per cent in 2009 from 58 per cent in 2008. Japan produced 87.5 mmt in 2008, a decrease of -26.3 per cent on 2008. India's crude steel production was 56.6 mmt in 2009, 2.8 per cent growth on 2008. South Korea showed a decrease of -9.4 per cent, producing 48.6 mmt in 2009.
The EU-27 where all major steel producing countries including Germany, Italy and France showed substantial decline recorded a decrease of -29.7 per cent compared to 2008, producing 139.1 mmt of crude steel in 2009.
Steel production declined in nearly all the major steel producing countries and regions including the EU, North America, South America and the CIS in 2009. However, Asia, in particular China and India, and the Middle East showed positive growth in 2009.
In December 2009, world crude steel output for the 66 countries reporting the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 106.4 mmt, an increase of 30.2 per cent compared to December 2008. Most major-steel producing countries showed two-digit growth in December 2009. The world crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries in December 2009 was 71.5 per cent, a decrease from 74.7 per cent in November 2009. Compared to 2008, the utilisation ratio in December 2009 increased by 13.4 per centage points.
China's crude steel production in 2009 reached 567.8 mmt, an increase of 13.5 per cent on 2008. This is a record annual crude steel production figure for a single country. China's share of world steel production continued to grow in 2009 producing 47 per cent of world total crude steel, an increase of 9 per centage points compared to 2008.
Asia produced 795.4 mmt of crude steel in 2009, an increase of 3.5 per cent compared to 2008. Its share of world steel production increased to 65 per cent in 2009 from 58 per cent in 2008. Japan produced 87.5 mmt in 2008, a decrease of -26.3 per cent on 2008. India's crude steel production was 56.6 mmt in 2009, 2.8 per cent growth on 2008. South Korea showed a decrease of -9.4 per cent, producing 48.6 mmt in 2009.
The EU-27 where all major steel producing countries including Germany, Italy and France showed substantial decline recorded a decrease of -29.7 per cent compared to 2008, producing 139.1 mmt of crude steel in 2009.