Daily crude steel output at CISA key mills fell 2.08% in mid-March

SHANGHAI, Mar 31 (SMM) – China's steel production decreased moderately in mid-March.

The China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) reported that crude steel output across major mills in China averaged 2.21 million mt per day in the second ten days of March, down 1.46% from early March and up 20.53% from the same period a year ago.

Average daily production of pig iron across those mills fell 2.87% from early March to 1.91 million mt in mid-March, and that of steel products fell 1.44% to 2.08 million mt.

As of March 20, inventories of steel products across those mills stood at 17.51 million mt, down 37.5 million mt from early March. The stocks were 1.1 million mt, or 6.69% higher than the end of last month. The stocks were 5.89 million mt, or 50.67% higher than the beginning of the year, and were 2.32 million mt, or 11.68% lower than the same period last year.