Brazilian crude steel output in February declined 8.7 percent, year-on-year, to 2.4 million mt, the nation’s steel institute, IABr, said on Thursday.
Finished steel output in the second month of the year diminished 14.9 percent, year-on-year, to 1.7 million mt. In the accumulated period of January to February, both crude and finished steel production decreased by 13.7 percent and 16.8 percent, year-on-year, to 4.9 million mt and 3.3 million mt, respectively.
Domestic steel sales in February reached 1.3 million mt, 18.5 percent down, year-on-year. In the two-month period, sales fell 22.7 percent, year-on-year, to 2.5 million mt.
IABr said apparent steel consumption in February declined 27.2 percent, year-on-year, to 1.4 million, and 31.2 percent, year-on-year, to 2.7 million mt in the January-February period.
As steel imports in February fell 72.1 percent, year-on-year, to 88,000 mt, exports in the same month of the year rose 54.8 percent, year-on-year, to 1.1 million mt.