World crude steel production rose 1.7 percent year on year to 165.1 million tonnes in March 2023, the World Steel Association reported on 21 April, the first monthly increase of the year. China drove the gain, producing 95.7 million tonnes, up 6.9 percent on March 2022, as mills ran hard after the end of winter curbs and the reopening of the economy. Output across the 63 reporting countries still left the first quarter almost flat: production for January to March totalled 459.3 million tonnes, down 0.1 percent on the same period of 2022. Outside China, many mills were still cutting back in response to weak orders and high energy costs, so the March rebound was uneven. Even so, the month set the high point for global output in 2023, a level no later month would match.
Source: World Steel Association — https://worldsteel.org/?p=47020
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