Brazil’s crude steel output fell by 11.6pc to 19.8mn mt in January-August this year, compared with the same period last year according to the Brazilian Steel Institute (Aço Brasil). In August, however, crude steel production increased by 6.5pc to 2.7mn mt on an annual basis.
The country’s rolled steel production decreased by 11.9pc to 13.5mn mt in the same period. Brazil’s rolled steel production for August also declined by 4pc to 1.8mn mt compared with August 2019.
Semi-finished steel output also went down by 8pc to 5.4mn mt in the January-August period this year, compared to the same period of 2019. However, the South American country increased its semi-finished steel products output by 3.8pc 628,000mt in August compared to the same month of 2019 Aço Brasil said without disclosing the previous year’s volumes.
Steel sales dropped by 6.3pc to 11.7mn mt in the January-August period this year compared to the same period the prior year, while the steel consumption decreased by 7.3mn to 13mn mt in the same period, Aço Brasil said.
In August, Brazilian steel sales rose by 2pc to 1.7mn mt compared with the same month last year, while steel consumption fell by 1.7pc to 1.8mn mt in the same period.
Brazil’s steel exports fell by 8.3pc to 841,000mt last month on an annual basis, while steel imports decreased by 48.4pc to 129,000mt.