【Ferro-alloys.com】China's crude steel output fell 3% year on year to 1.033 billion mt in 2021, National Bureau of Statistics data released Jan. 17 showed, posting the first year-on-year decline since 2016.

The country's pig iron output in 2021 fell 4.3% on the year to 868.57 million mt, the NBS data showed, which was also the first year-on-year decline in six years.

S&P Global Platts calculations based on data from various mills, traders and the NBS had indicated the trend in September 2021.

Both China's crude steel and pig iron output fell on a year-on-year basis in December, with crude steel output down 6.8% at 86.19 million mt and pig iron down 5.4% at 72.1 million mt, but rebounded strongly from November, rising 20.3% and 13% month on month, respectively.

Market sources said the month-on-month rebound in pig iron and crude steel output was in line with market expectations, as Chinese steel mills started ramping up steel production after completing output cut requirements for 2021 at the end of November.

China's pig iron and crude steel output growth is expected to continue in January, although electric arc furnace steelmakers gradually slowing production ahead of the Lunar New Year was expected to cap the extent of the growth, sources said.al.” 

• [Editor:zhaozihao]