China’s crude steel production for May 2015 was 70.0 million t, a -1.7 % decrease compared to May 2014. Japan produced 8.9 million t of crude steel in May 2015, a decrease of -7.0 % compared to May 2014. South Korea’s crude steel production for May 2015 was 6.0 million t of crude steel, down by -2.6 % compared to May 2014.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.7 million t of crude steel in May 2015, a decrease of -5.4 % compared to May 2014. Italy produced 2.0 million t of crude steel, down by -12.6 % on May 2014. France’s crude steel production was 1.4 million t, an increase of 5.8 % compared to May 2014. Spain produced 1.4 million t of crude steel, a 1.9 % increase year on year.

Turkey’s crude steel production for May 2015 was 2.9 million t, down by -4.3 % on May 2014. In May 2015, Russia produced 6.1 million t of crude steel, down by -1.9 % over May 2014. Ukraine produced 2.2 million t of crude steel, down by -23.0 % compared to the same month 2014.

The US produced 6.8 million t of crude steel in May 2015, a decrease of -8.5 % compared to May 2014.

Brazil’s crude steel production for May 2015 was 3.0 million t, up by 3.8 % on May 2014.

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio for the 65 countries in May 2015 was 72.1 %. It is -3.4 percentage points lower than May 2014. Compared to April 2015, it is 0.4 percentage points lower.

World Steel Association, Brussels, Belgium