Worldsteel: steel production growth was five percent in April

World steel production in April was 142.1 million tonnes, up 5.0 percent from a year earlier, according to the World Steel Association.

In the European Union, the increase was 6.1 percent and steel production reached 14.296 million tonnes. Slightly lower growth was recorded in the four months of 2017 at 4.5 percent. Production during this period amounted to 56.84 million tons.

Ukraine experienced a strong decline in steel production - by 28.6 percent in April and by 13.8 percent since the beginning of the year. Production amounted to 1,572 million tons in April and 7.168 million tons in 4 months of this year.

In April, 6.212 million tons were produced in Russia, and 23.989 million tons since the beginning of the year. This is an increase in smelting by 4.3 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.

Turkey produced 3.026 million tons of steel in April and 11.806 million tons in four months. In the first case, an increase of 6.5 percent and for 4 months by 12 percent.

The United States produced 6.717 million tonnes in April, an increase of 1.8 percent, and 27.009 million tonnes from the beginning of the year, an increase of 2.9 percent.

In April, China's production reached 72.777 million tons, and in four months - 273.87 million tons, which means an increase of 4.9 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.

India in April increased production by almost 5 percent, the same as China, having risen to smelting 8.065 million tons, and since the beginning of the year, growth was higher and reached 7.1 percent, and production was 33.159 million tons.

In Japan, steel output rose 3 percent in April to 8.752 million tons, up 1.9 percent from the beginning of the year. (34.982 million tons). Korea saw a 2.9 percent decrease in smelting in April, and an increase of almost 1 percent in four months. Production was 5.481 million tonnes and 22.7565 million tonnes, respectively.

The utilization of production capacities since the beginning of the year amounted to 73.6 percent.