In March 2018, global steel production grew by 4%

World steel production from 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 148.3 million tonnes in March 2018, up 4.0% from March 2017.

Global steel production was 426.6 million tonnes in the first three months of 2018, up 4.1% over the same period in 2017. Asia produced 294.1 million tonnes of steel, 4.6% more than in the first quarter of 2017. 43.1 million tonnes of steel were smelted in the first quarter of 2018, up 0.9% year-on-year. North American steel production in the first three months of 2018 was 29.5 million tonnes, up 1.9% from the first quarter of 2017.

Steel production in China in March 2018 amounted to 74.0 million tons, which is 4.5% more than in March 2017. India produced 9.2 million tonnes of crude steel in March 2018, up 5.3% on March 2017. Japan produced 9.1 million tonnes of steel in March 2018, up 2.2% over March 2017. Steel production in South Korea in March 2018 amounted to 6.1 million tonnes, which is 4.7% more than in March 2017.

In the EU, Italy produced 2.3 million tonnes of steel, 1.0% more than in March 2017. France produced 1.4 million tonnes of steel, an increase of 1.5% compared to March 2017. Spain produced 1.3 million tonnes of crude steel, down 4.1% from March 2017.

Turkey's steel output in March 2018 amounted to 3.4 million tons, which is 7.6% more than in March 2017.

In March 2018, the US produced 7.3 million tonnes of crude steel, up 5.3% from March 2017.

Smelting in Brazil in March 2018 amounted to 3.1 million tons, which is 7.6% more than in March 2017.

The utilization rate of steel production in 64 countries was 74.5% in March 2018. This is 2.2 percentage points higher than in March 2017. Compared to February 2018, this is 0.9 percentage points higher.