China’s crude and rolled steel output in April rose by 0.2pc and 3.6pc, respectively, from April 2019 as steel mills resumed operations after the COVID-19 lockdown.
The production of construction material picked up since late March driven by downstream demand. China produced 85.03mn mt of crude steel in April and 319.46mn mt in January-April period, up by 1.3pc from the prior year period.
China produced 10.7mn mt of rolled steel in April and 37.43mn mt in January-April period, up down by 0.2pc from the prior year period. Seasonal output at some mills exceeded the average output levels over the past four years.
In April, corrugated steel bar output rose by 1.1pc to 21.1mn mt from 20.51mn mt in April 2019. During January-April period, corrugated steel bar output was 74.17mn mt, down by 1.0 pc from the prior year period. Wire rod output was down by 3.1pc from April 2019 and January-April 2019. China produced 12.93mn mt of wire rods in April and 46.41mn mt in January-April 2020.
Pig iron output was down in by 1.2pc in April to 72mn mt from the prior year month, while output in January-April rose by 1.3pc to 277.98mn mt.
In April 2020, China’s medium wide steel plate and welded steel pipe output rose by 4pc and 19.3pc to 129.73mn mt and 56.84mn mt, respectively, from April 2019.