Brazilian flat steel distributors’ sales rose by 9.8pc to 312,300mt in February, from 284,600mt in the same month last year, Brazil’s National Institute of Steel Distributors (Inda) indicated in a statement on Mar 23.
Total flat steel product purchases also climbed by 5.1pc to 321,900mt last month, from 306,200mt in February 2020, Inda noted adding that it is expected sales and purchases to increase by 5pc in March. Flat steel inventory rose by 1.4pc to 696,500mt in February from the previous month to 686,900mt.
Flat steel imports climbed by 57.3pc to 101,900mt in February, from 64,800mt in the same month of 2020. Russia with 35.6pc shipments, China with 35.1pc, and the United Kingdom with 13.4pc shipments were the key flat steel exporters to the South American country.
Brazil’s crude steel output rose by 3.8pc to 2.8mn mt in February, from 2.7mn mt produced in February 2020, according to the Brazilian Steel Association’s data.