Japan 5 Integrated Steel’s Crude Steel Output Bottoms Out in May

Crude steel output by Japanese 5 integrated steel makers totaled 4.782 million tonnes in May, lower by 38% than a year earlier. The range of decrease narrowed from more than 40% by April. Compared with April, the production increased by 12.7%. The averaged output was 154,000 tonnes per day in May, higher than 141,000 tonnes per day in April. Integrated steel makers seem to have increased their output from the bottom level along the progress of inventory adjustment and the production recovery by steel users.

Nippon Steel’s crude steel output was 1.643 million tonnes in May, lower by 42.4% year-to-year while higher by 13.1% month-to-month. JFE Steel’s production decreased by 34.2% to 1.744 million tonnes in May from a year earlier while increased by 19.2% from a month earlier.

Crude steel production decreased by 34.2% year-to-year at Sumitomo Metal Industries, by 42.3% year-to-year at Kobe Steel and by 34.7% year-to-year at Nisshin Steel. On the other hand, the output increased month-to-month at Sumitomo Metals and Kobe Steel. The production showed a sign to bottom out.

As to pig iron, the production by the 5 integrated steels totaled 4.875 million tonnes in May, lower by 35% from a year earlier while higher by 11.2% from a month earlier. The average output was 157,000 tonnes per day in May, higher than 146,000 tonnes per day in April.