Crude steel production in the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) rose 5.8% on-year in December to 160.86 million tonnes, slowing slightly from November growth. 

Output in 2020 was nevertheless still down -0.9% on-year to 1.83 billion tonnes, although this was a far more moderate drop than many expected at the outbreak of Covid-19, mainly thanks to the strong numbers seen in China and stronger than expected recovery in most other areas during Q3 and Q4. In 2018 global crude steel output was 1.82 billion tonnes.

Chinese output rose 7.7% in December to 91.25mt, while Indian production accelerated further, growing 4.4% to 9.8mt. Japanese output fell -3.3% to 7.53mt, but South Korean production grew 1.2% to 5.95mt. Vietnam did not provide data and output was therefore estimated at 1.6mt.

EU28 output rebounded further in December, surging 10% to 11.76mt, led by a 10.6% increase in Germany to 3.14mt. Italian output was estimated to have grown 6.9% to 1.5mt, while French output is confirmed to have surged 26% to 1.16mt. The jump in output in December confirmed the overall positive sentiment seen since beginning of Q4 in Europe; it was supported by the restart of a number of blast furnaces in the continent and it is expected to continue benefitting from the positive momentum well into Q1.