Steel Mills Keen on Producing Post CNY Holiday with Elevated Operating Rates of Blast Furnaces

SHANGHAI, Feb 1 (SMM) - According to SMM survey, the average operating rate of blast furnaces at steel mills gained 0.44 percentage point from a week ago to 91.52% as of February 1. The average capacity utilisation rate of blast furnaces was up 0.19 percentage point week-on-week to 92.57%. The daily average pig iron output of the steel mills in SMM's survey sample stood at 2.21 million mt, an increase of 4,600 mt from the previous week. SMM estimates that the daily average pig iron output across the country stood at 2.64 million mt, up 5,500 mt on a weekly basis.